The Story Of Real Lover Of Science
There is a Houstan man who is great lover of science, and an ardent student of her mystries. He has a small Laboratory fitted up at his home, and spents a great deal of time in experimentin with chemicals, and analyzing different substances.
Of late, he has been much interested in various germ theories, and has somewhat neglected his business to read pasteur's and koch's writings, and everything he could procure relating to sundry kinds of bacilli.
He had bought a 900-power magnifying instruments, and hopes before long to add his quota to the number of valuable discoveries concerning germ life. Last Tuesday night, there was a sociable, and supper given at one of the Churches. THe man's wife wanted him to go, but he begged off, saying that he would much rather stay at home, and have a good quiet time with his microscope, while she went and took the children.
He had been reading ex-State Geologist Dumble's report of his analysis of Houston bayou water, and he was anxious to verify that the gentleman's statements, by an examination of his own. So, immediately after supper he went through the kitchen, and found a tin bucket full of water, sitting on a bench by the hydrant. He carried it at once to his laboratory and, fastening himself in, went to work.
After a time, he heard his wife and children leave house, on their way to the supper at the church, which was only a block or two away and congratulated himself on the nice quiet time he was going to have. He worked for nearly three hours, repeatedly examing through the powerful microscope, samples of the bayou water from the bucket.
At last, he slapped his hand on the knee in triumph. "Dumble's wrong!" he exclaimed, He says it's the hybadid cystallis and I'm certain he's mistaken. The inhabitants of this water are schizomycetic bacterium, but they are neither macrocci of roseopersicina, nor have they iso-diametric cells.
"Can it be that I have discovered a new germ? Is scientific fame within my grasp?"
He seized his pen and began to write. In a little while his family came home and his wife came up to his laboratory. He generally refused to let her come in, but on the occasion he opened the door and welcomed her enthusiastically. "Ellen, " he cried, " since you have been gone I have won the fame and perhaps a fortune. I have discovered a new bacterium in the bayou water. Science describes nothing like it. I shall call it after you and your name will pass into eternal fame. Just take a look through the microscope. His wife shut one eye and looked into the cylinder .
"Funny little round things, ain't they?" "she said. " are they injurious to the system?"
"Sure death. Get one of them in your alimentry canal, and you're a goner. I' m going to London Lancer and the New York Academy of Sciences tonight.What whall we call 'em, Ellen? Let's see-Ellenobes, or Ellenites, or what?"
"Oh, John, you wretch !"shrieked hsi wife, as she caught sight of the bucket in the table. "You've got my bucket of Galveston oysters that I bought to take to the church supper! Microbes, indeed!"
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