A MICROBE FARM.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17701, 1 March 1923, Page 11

A MICROBE FARM.

London, as beivts tbe greatest city in' the world, is full of unknown wonders, aiui among them Is-the microbe farm, which I recently had the pleasure of in>speoting, writes a correspondent in a uoientifio journal. The farm is a paradox. It iB not even in the open air, but is at the top of a big building on the banks of the Thames at Chelsea. Tbe farm is to be found in the Listed Institute, i» Chelsea Guldens, and whoa I arrived I uas taken up to it in a lift. I walked into a flue modem laboratory about SOft long by 20ft wide. Ona tide of it was all glass, through which oould be seen, the chimneys and roofs of the metropolis, and under the windows for tbe whole length, ran a working bench or table. In tbe centre of the room—or the a roll-top desk; there was a microscope, carefully screened from dust with a glass shade, on a table •in a corner j at each end were cases, And near the door were a couple of incubators. Thus the microbe farm at first sight. In this in-nocent-looking laboratory, with its air of peace, all thie most diabolical diseases that torture mankind axe confined. Here the germs browse contentedly, breed in their myriads, grow under your very eyes into fine strapping youngsters. ®here area! together so met 1200 different organisms in the collection—l2oo different microbes to * be tended and fed on the form—and in all about 6000 tubes". Directly ji new microbe comes along its name is entered on a card, with, particulars of whence it came, and when it was isolated, and: by whom. Other particulars as to the pedigree of the germ are noted, so the curator has only to look at the card index to find out all about it. Each organism in the collection' is indexed inthis 1 way, a number is given it, and this same number is marked on the tube in which it is kept. Consequently it isi possible to find any microbe without delay, and without any danger of mixing it up, witli some, other microbe. Scientists! and teachers are continually : working ill over tbe country, and 1 fre-. quently they require certain cultures" to work on or show to students. Until a year ago there was no central British collection on which they could draw. Scientists did their best to supply each other, but often those engaged in research work were compelled to write to New, York, Prague, Vienna, or Paris for the culture tliey sought. Sometimes they could not obtain it ' erven then. The new microbe farm obviates all' this, and for a slxilling or so—in certain cases no charge is made at all—the deadliest microbe that afflicts man or beast may bo bought, comfortably housed in a test tube, with a proper supply of food, and carefully packed in cotton-wool. Enquiries oome from all •over the world, and about 300 tubes are sent out every month.