The State Germ Lab in the Burke Block

Seattle is now the seat of a state bacteriological laboratory for the examination of the germs of consumption, diphtheria and other diseases, and some valuable work has already been done in examining the city's water supply for germs of typhoid fever. The state board of health has appointed Dr. A. B. Kibre state bacteriologist and has appropriated enough money to purchase the necessary appliances, but has made no provision for office rent and other expenses, which will fall on those interested in the work. Consequently no permanent quarters have yet been secured, and the laboratory is for the present located in the Burke block.

At present all cases of consumption and diphtheria are diagnosed by bacterioscopic examinations. In consumption this is done by examining the sputum for the presence of the tubercle bacillus; in diphtheria by removing from the throat a small portion of the membrane and drawing it over specially prepared material composed of blood serum and beef broth, on which the germ of diphtheria grows rapidly and in a characteristic manner.

A number of physicians had already established at their own expense a modest laboratory in the Burke block, where for the past three months they have carried on these investigations. At the last meeting of the state board of health they proposed to make examinations of suspected cases of consumption and to prepare the necessary material for examining cases of diphtheria and supply it to the medical profession throughout the state, provided the board of health would furnish them with such appliances as were necessary to satisfactorily do bacteriological work. Their proposition was accepted by the board and an appropriation made sufficient to purchase such material as was absolutely necessary. The board, however, felt unable to make any provision for paying the necessary expenses of rent, light, etc., of the laboratory, all of which must be borne by the physicians now interested.

Among other things already done in the laboratory has been the examination of the city's water supply, undertaken in view of the apparently unusual prevalence of typhoid fever among a class of people hitherto exempt. Specimens of water were taken from private residences supplied by the mains from Lake Washington, Coppin's well at Columbia and Ninth streets, and the Burke building, which is supplied from an artesian well. In some of the residences concerned typhoid fever had occurred. While no germs characteristic of typhoid were found, the number of germs usually found in water varies very greatly according to the source. In the water from the Burke block about fifty germs were found to a cubic centimeter of water (about fifteen drops); in that from Coppin's well from 70 to 100; and from Lake Washington 150,000. While this result, as far as Lake Washington water is concerned, may appear alarming, fear should not be entertained, as the germs are perfectly harmless and are found in about equal number in drinking water supplied from a similar source in other cities.

It is the desire of the physicians connected with the laboratory to include in their work the preparation of what is known as diphtheria antitoxin. The process of rendering an animal immune to a disease is based on what is known as Behring's law. The animal most exclusively used is the horse. After treatment lasting from four to six months, blood is taken from the jugular veins, collected in clean vessels and set aside in an ice chest until it separates into clot and serum; the serum is then drawn off into sterilized flasks and enough carbolic acid or other material added to prevent decomposition. It is then ready for use. Experiments in the large children's hospitals in Berlin and afterward in Paris seem to have demonstrated that the antitoxin is effective if used in the earliest stage of the disease and in sufficient amount. The cost at present is very great; one dose for a child is now $2, and in severe cases the expense would be not less than $12 to $15 for the remedy alone.