1912 Journal of Applied Microscopy 



of ventilation of prime importance as regards the comforts of its occupants. 

 This is admirably accomplished by means of a system of ventilating fans with 

 which the entire building is supplied. These force a continual stream of fresh 

 air into the room. The automatic thermo-regulators maintain a constant 

 temperature of 70°F. In addition to the physical comfort, there are at least 

 three other essentials of a well equipped laboratory: (1) Facilities for keeping 

 the apparatus clean. (2) Adequate facilities for making culture media and for 

 sterilizing. (3) Adequate incubator space. To these a fourth could be added, 

 namely, an arrangement by which the confusion in a laboratory, occasioned by 

 students moving about in procuring their various supplies, is reduced to a mini- 

 mum. These essentials have all been worked out in this laboratory. 



There is absolutely no excuse for not keeping " things " clean. I have 

 already suggested the ease with which the glass-topped tables are kept spotless. 

 The floor of the laboratory is of Norway pine, and receives an occasional 

 coat of oil, so that dust may be easily wiped up ; windows are tightly fitted, so 

 that no dust can blow in from the outside. Being located as it is on the top 

 floor, annoyance from this source is small. Two large sinks, each twelve feet 

 long and supplied with twenty faucets, ten of hot and ten of cold water, furnish 

 ample facility for cleaning apparatus. Above each sink are hun^ six drying 

 boards, containing 144 pegs each, inserted into the board at an angle of 30°, so 

 that test tubes, bottles, etc., after being washed, may be placed on these pegs, 

 allowing the dripping to fall into the sink. These two sinks occupy remarkably 

 small space, being placed near the center of the room, back to back, with a 

 partition extending up between them to cover the plumbing and support the 

 drying boards. Perhaps a better idea of these sinks may be obtained from Fig. 

 3. A further aid to cleanliness is the fact that all work tables used in making 

 media are covered with glass or sheet lead. 



The question of furnishing sterilization facilities for so large a class was a 

 difficult one. After some experience Dr. Moore was convinced that live 

 steam, under low pressure, is the most successful method for sterilizing media. 

 He had specially constructed eight sterilizers of various forms, all connected 

 with live steam, and drain pipes leading from them. A temperature of 99.5° to 

 102°C. is reached in these sterilizers. It has been found that a large percentage 

 of the media heated but once for twenty minutes is rendered sterile, thus practi- 

 cally making unnecessary fractional sterilization.* Fitted within each of the 

 sterilizers are specially constructed wire baskets, which afford a handy and safe 

 way of putting in and removing media from the sterilizers. Large granite-ware 

 pails and other utensils may be placed within these sterilizers, enabling one to 

 make large quantities of media for stock. The use of live steam has a great 

 advantage over nearly every other sterilizing process in that it is quick, safe, and 

 economical. It is especially convenient for making media, as it does away with 

 the slow water bath process, and at the same time eliminates the possibility of 

 scorching your material. In addition to live steam sterilizers, the laboratory is 

 equipped with a large sized Arnold steam sterilizer and a mammoth hot-air 



* See article by Dr. R. C. Reed, in Am. Mic. Journal, 1897. 



