A positive staph infection graces this agar plate of more recent vintage. BUGS ABOUT HER
Deadly Germs Form Valentine
He's "bugs" about her – that's what Dr. Rudolph Kouchy, fanciful University of Minnesota bacteriologist, apparently meant in a valentine to one of his students, Geraldine Lundquist.
The whimsical doctor constructed his missive of love from pure culture germs on a blood-covered agar plate, and placed it in the incubator.
In the morning when his student removed it, it had turned into a large, white heart with a lacy border and on it was inscribed – in germs – "Gerry," and "Be My Valentine." The doctor had inscribed his design with an inoculating wire.
The doctor was sure of his recipient, because only a trained technician could handle such a missive, because the concentrated fluid of deadly germs might be fatal if touched by hand.
