THE ORIGIN 



of Dehydrated Culture Media 



It is a pleasure to include, as a part of this book, the abstract given below 

 which is believed to be the earliest reference to the preparation and use of de- 

 hydrated culture media, at least in this country. It is to be noted that Dr. Frost's 

 arguments in favor of these preparations are just as forceful today as they were 

 in 1909. 



DESICCATED CULTURE MEDIA 



W. D. Frost 



University of Wisconsin 



Abstract of Paper at Boston (1909) Meeting of the Society of American Bacteri- 

 ologists. Science, 31:555: (Apr. 8) 1910. 



In order to overcome the generally recognized faults of bacterial culture media, 

 such as variation in composition of small batches, time consumed in preparation, 

 rapidity with which it deteriorates, its unavailability in small institutions or pri- 

 vate practice, the preparation of culture media in large batches in establishments 

 especially equipped for it and then desiccated is suggested. 



The author's work on this problem, covering nearly a decade of time, is con- 

 sidered and samples are submitted. 



There is apparently no reason why the different culture media cannot be put 

 on the market in the form which requires merely the addition of water and sterili- 

 zation to make it ready for use. Not only the ordinary, but probably most of the 

 special media, can be prepared in this way and could be put up where desired, 

 in the form of tablets, these to be of such size that they could be put directly in 

 test tubes and when the proper amount of water is added they would be ready 

 for sterilization and use. 



It is interesting to note that Doerr, in Kraus and Uhlenhut: Handbuch der 

 Mikrobiologischen Technik, states he also prepared powdered culture media by 

 drying on glass in 1909. 



The practical application of the dehydration of culture media was initiated and 

 pioneered by Difco in 1915, under the direction of Dr. J. W. M. Bunker. 



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