The Blue Disease

: The Blue Germ

Next day the first news of the Sarakoff-Harden bacillus appeared in a

small paragraph in an evening paper, and immediately I saw it, I hurried

back to the house in Harley Street where Sarakoff was writing a record

of our researches.



"Listen to this," I cried, bursting excitedly into the room. I laid the

paper on the table and pointed to the column. "Curious disease among

trout in Wales," I read. "In the E an reservoirs which have long been

famed for their magnificent trout, which have recently increased so

enormously in size and number that artificial stocking is entirely

unnecessary, a curious disease has made its appearance. Fish caught

there this morning are reported to have an unnatural bluish tint, and

their flesh, when cooked, retains this hue. It is thought that some

disease has broken out. Against this theory is the fact that no dead

fish have been observed. The Water Committee of the City Council of

Birmingham are investigating this matter."



Sarakoff pushed his chair back and twisted it round towards me. For some

moments we stared at each other with almost scared expressions. Then a

smile passed over the Russian's face.



"Ah, we had forgotten that. A bluish tint! Of course, it was to be

expected."



"Yes," I cried, "and what is more, the bluish tint will show itself in

every man, woman or child infected with the bacillus. Good heavens,

fancy not thinking of that ourselves!"



Sarakoff picked up the paper and read the paragraph for himself. Then he

laid it down. "It is strange that one so persistently neglects the

obvious in one's calculations. Of course there will be a bluish tint."

He leaned back and pulled at his beard. "I should think it will show

itself in the whites of the eyes first, just as jaundice shews itself

there. Leonora won't like that--it won't suit her colouring. You see

that these fish, when cooked, retained the bluish hue. That is very

interesting."



"It's very bad luck on the trout."



"Why?"



"After getting the bacillus into their system, they blunder on to a hook

and meet their death straight away."



"The bacillus is not proof against death by violence," replied Sarakoff

gravely. "That is a factor that will always remain constant. We are

agreed in looking on all disease as eventually due to poisons derived

from germ activity, but a bang on the head or asphyxiation or prussic

acid or a bullet in the heart are not due to a germ. Yes, these poor

trout little knew what a future they forfeited when they took the bait."



"The bacillus is in Birmingham by now," I said suddenly. I passed my

hand across my brow nervously, and glanced at the manuscript lying

before Sarakoff. "You had better keep those papers locked up. I spent an

awful day at the hospital. It dawned on me that the whole medical

profession will want to tear us in pieces before the year is out."



"In theory they ought not to."



"Who cares for theory, when it is a question of earning a living? As I

walked along the street to-day, I could have shrieked aloud when I saw

everybody hurrying about as if nothing were going to happen. This is

unnerving me. It is so tremendous."



Sarakoff picked up his pen, and traced out a pattern in the blotting-pad

before him.



"The Water Committee of Birmingham are investigating the matter," he

observed. "It will be amusing to hear their report. What will they think

when they make a bacteriological examination of the water in the

reservoir? It will stagger them."



The next morning I was down to breakfast before my friend and stood

before the fire eagerly scanning the papers. At first I could find

nothing that seemed to indicate any further effects of the bacillus. I

was in the act of buttering a piece of toast when my eye fell on one of

the newspapers lying beside me. A heading in small type caught my eye.



"The measles epidemic in Ludlow." I picked the paper up.



"The severe epidemic of measles which began last week and seemed likely

to spread through the entire town, has mysteriously abated. Not only are

no further cases reported, but several doctors report that those

already attacked have recovered in an incredibly short space of time.

Doubt has been expressed by the municipal authorities as to whether the

epidemic was really measles."



I adjusted my glasses to read the paragraph again. Then I got up and

went into my study. After rummaging in a drawer I pulled out and

unrolled a map of England. The course of the aqueduct from Elan to

Birmingham was marked by a thin red line. I followed it slowly with the

point of my finger and came on the town of Ludlow about half-way along.

I stared at it.



"Of course," I whispered at length, my finger still resting on the

position of the town. "All these towns on the way are supplied by the

aqueduct. I hadn't thought of that. The bacillus is in Ludlow."



For about a minute I did not move. Then I rolled up the map and went up

to Sarakoff's bedroom. I met the Russian on the landing on his way to

the bathroom.



"The bacillus is in Ludlow," I said in a curiously small voice. I stood

on the top stair, holding on to the bannister, my big glasses aslant on

my nose, and the map hanging down in my limp grasp.



I had to repeat the sentence before Sarakoff heard me.



"Where's Ludlow?"



I sank on my knees and unrolled the map on the floor and pointed

directly with my finger.



Sarakoff went down on all fours and looked at the spot keenly.



"Ah, on the line of the aqueduct! But how do you know it is there?"



"It has cut short an epidemic of measles. The doctors are puzzled."



Sarakoff nodded. He was looking at the names of the other towns that lay

on the course of the aqueduct.



"Cleobury-Mortimer," he spelt out. "No news from there?"



"None."



"And none from Birmingham yet?"



"None."



"We'll have news to-morrow." He raised himself on his knees. "Trout and

then measles!" he said, and laughed. "This is only the beginning. No

wonder the Ludlow doctors are puzzled."



The same evening there was further news of the progress of the bacillus.

From Cleobury-Mortimer, ten miles from Ludlow, and twenty from

Birmingham, it was reported that the measles epidemic there had been cut

short in the same mysterious manner as noticed in Ludlow. But next

morning a paragraph of considerable length appeared which I read out in

a trembling voice to Sarakoff.



"It was reported a short time ago that the trout in the Elan

reservoirs appeared to be suffering from a singular disease, the

effect of which was to tint their scales and flesh a delicate bluish

colour. The matter is being investigated. In the meanwhile it has been

noticed, both in Ludlow and Cleobury-Mortimer, and also in Knighton,

that the peculiar bluish tint has appeared amongst the inhabitants.

Our correspondent states that it is most marked in the conjunctivae, or

whites of the eyes. There must undoubtedly be some connection between

this phenomenon and the condition of the trout in the Elan reservoirs,

as all the above-mentioned towns lie close to, and receive water from,

the great aqueduct. The most remarkable thing, however, is that the

bluish discolouration does not seem to be accompanied by any symptoms

of illness in those whom it has affected. No sickness or fever has

been observed. It is perhaps nothing more than a curious coincidence

that the abrupt cessation of the measles epidemic in Ludlow and

Cleobury-Mortimer, reported in yesterday's issue, should have occurred

simultaneously with the appearance of bluish discolouration among the

inhabitants."



On the same evening, I was returning from the hospital and saw the

following words on a poster:--



"Blue Disease in Birmingham."



I bought a paper and scanned the columns rapidly. In the stop-press news

I read:--



"The Blue Disease has appeared in Birmingham. Cases are reported all

over the city. The Public Health Department are considering what

measures should be adopted. The disease seems to be unaccompanied by any

dangerous symptoms."



I stood stock-still in the middle of the pavement. A steady stream of

people hurrying from business thronged past me. A newspaper boy was

shouting something down the street, and as he drew nearer, I heard his

hoarse voice bawling out:--



"Blue Disease in Birmingham."



He passed close to me, still bawling, and his voice died away in the

distance. Men jostled me and glanced at me angrily.... But I was lost in

a dream. The paper dropped from my fingers. In my mind's eye I saw the

Sarakoff-Harden bacillus in Birmingham, teeming in every water-pipe in

countless billions, swarming in the carafes on dining-room tables, and

in every ewer and finger-basin, infecting everything it came in contact

with. And the vision of Birmingham and the whole stretch of country up

to the Elan watershed passed before me, stained with a vivid blue.