268 Trans. Acad. Sct. of St. Louis. 
Collection of Sample. —The collection of satisfactory and 
average samples of water is an important part of the work 
and at times offers great difficulties. In taking the sample 
one should avoid the scum and debris, and it is better to col- 
lect the sample from one to three feet below the surface of 
the water. Wide mouth bottles with glass stoppers, having 
acapacity of 150 c.c. are most suitable for the purpose. 
Simplicity and reliability of collection, especially when this 
work is intrusted to persons who are not bacteriologists, is an 
important consideration, and in order to overcome some of 
the difficulties incident to the collection of samples of river 
water, I invented in 1899 an apparatus, as shown in Figure l., 
and which may be described as follows :— 
The apparatus is made almost entirely of brass tubing and 
consists essentially of two upright supports which are held in 
place above and near the middle by means of two cross- 
pieces, and at the bottom by means of a plate or base, which 
supports the bottle. The two cross-pieces give attachment 
to a tube, which serves as a handle. Through the entire 
length of the handle passes a snugly-fitting brass rod, to the 
' lower end of which is attached a spiral spring and a clamp, 
which is provided with a thumb-screw. When the bottle is 
in position the brass rod and the axis of the bottle are in the 
same line. The bottle is held firmly in position by means of 
an armed ring, which passes freely over the top and rests 
upon the body of the bottle, so that by pressing downward 
on the ring and securing it by means of the thumb-screw to 
the support, the bottle will be held firmly in position. There 
are also three pins on the plate at the base, which prevent the 
bottle from sliding. The handle is provided with a stirrup- 
like arrangement, which aids in holding the apparatus when 
it is lowered into the water. By fastening a cord to the rod 
and a wire or chain to the stirrup, the apparatus may be low- 
ered to any desired depth. Fastened to the side of the 
apparatus is a glass tube, the bottom of which is sealed, but 
the top of which is provided with a stopper, to which a cord 
is attached. This tube contains the thermometer. 
The bottle having been secured in position and the clamps 
