AMERICAN SCHOOL. OF HOME ECONOMICS 
. . •. 
CHICAGO 
January I, 1907. 
My dear Madam: 
In beginning our work in Household 
Bacteriology together I should like to make a few 
suggestions as to aims and methods of study. 
The aims to be reached in the study of any 
science are at least two—a knowledge of its un¬ 
derlying principles and as thorough an application 
of those principles as is possible. r 
For the principles you will consult the lesson 
booklets. From them, too. you will get suggested 
applications, but the subject 7/ill not become a 
part of yourself until you recognize new applica¬ 
tions many times a day. It is 3aid that no person 
KNOWS a foreign language until he can think in 
that language. In a similar way you will want to 
think these facts into your life and work. 
Suggestions for study have already been given 
to you. I hope that you may be able to try all of 
the experiments suggested;_at least make a "dust 
garden" as described. If you can get no suitable 
dish, a regular Petri dish may be obtained through 
the School for 30 cents and a tube of prepared 
"nutrient gelatine".for 20 cents. The dish may 
be returned. Also, I hope that you will read some 
of the books recommended in the bibliography. 
* 
The facts of bacteriology underlie so firmly 
all our daily living that there is no need to go 
far afield for illustrations. But a thorough 
knowledge of the science can be gained only through 
laboratory methods and with a microscope. There¬ 
fore, I hope you may be able sometime to supple- 
