CHAPTER XVL 



IMITATIONS OF, AND PERSECUTIONS AGAINST, THE 

 MICROBE-KILLER. 



Unfortunately for science and humanity, there is a 

 large class of unscrupulous men who are continually 

 seeking to profit through the genius or labors of others. 

 They have not the power to originate, nor even to copy 

 where to copy requires any degree of skill. If they can 

 copy or imitate they do so. If they are unable to copy 

 or imitate they pretend they have done so. In the in- 

 fancy of a discovery they stand idly by, but as soon as 

 the discovery is proven of value to humanity, then they 

 begin at once to imitate. 



The microbe-killer has probably had more imitators 

 than any other scientific discovery. The first was a few 

 months after my discovery, when a druggist near where 

 I lived placed a medicine on the market which he pre- 

 tended would destroy microbes. Later, however, dozens 

 of remedies sprang up all over the country under the 

 names of ^* Germ-Killers," ^'Germicide," ^* Microbine," 

 or similar names, alleged to kill microbes. It is need- 

 less to say more about them. They were imitations, 

 pure and simple, and not only failed to kill microbes, 

 which was claimed for them, but were dangerous to use. 

 In addition to stealing the theory of my discovery many 

 of these imitators even went further. They copied my 

 circulars and changed my testimonials, claiming them 

 for their alleged remedies. My resort, of course, was 

 to the courts. Suit after suit was instituted, and always 

 with success. If an alleged remedy was driven out 

 under one name, in a few days it would appear under 

 another name. Frequently there were cases in which 

 my name and labels, as well as the jug I have used in put- 



