THE CURSE OF TUTANKHAMEN.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 July 1927, Page 4

THE CURSE OF TUTANKHAMEN.

(Ily 11. ,1. BINKEIi, AI.A. (Cantab) in •'Daily Mail.'')

Decent investigations in connection with the existence of bactciia in i’utankhamen’.s tomb have aroused great interest. The supposed occult powers ol the ancient Egyptians have fascinated all ages, and it is not surprising glint the idea has gradually developed that the tombs of the Pharaohs hold some deadly curse over any mortal who should dare to disturb the eternal rest of Egypt’s royal dead. Such a curse, if embodied in the tomb itself, would take the form of some terrible disease, the bacteria (“microbes”) of which would infect and kill any intruder. But tonld bacteria survive the many centuries that the 'tomb remained sealed?. How long can life last? We have heard of tortoises reached an almost Meth-uselah-like antiipiily, and we know of great forest trees that have stood for more than ten centuries. Where, then, is the limit? There is a common belief, ten, that wheat grains taken from early Egvplian tombs have been planted and successfully germinated. I'uforl imately it is a myth. Whenever the exp-uiment lias been tried with authentic mummy wlioiii no germiaai ion has o( eurred. The spores of bacteria (which correspond to the seeds of higher plants)

of life tb.it we know. Some oi these minute bodies, nee twcnty-iive-lhons-ai.dth of an inch In rive, can lie il,,ino -it, for many years, and will even wi lisland prolonged boiling. live thiol i * a form of iil'e which might lire on iudeliiiitel.v. The disown that Hie inner cham-

ber of Tutankhamen's tomb had been unopened for some 3.000 years provided a. splendid opportunity of testing whether bacteria were still alive. To make bis experiment, l)r A. C. Ihaysen and the writer sent out to Air l.neas. late Director of the Chemical Laboratories of the Egyptian Government, sterile swabs such as are used by a doctor in taking a sample of a paitient's sputum, and by the courtesy of the late Lord Carnarvon and Dr Carter, Air Lucas was able to enter the sepulchral chamber soon after its opening and wipe these swabs on the floor, walls, and objects in the far corner of the chamber where no foot had trod for thirty centuries. The swabs were sealed and returned to this country, where they were examined by the usual bacteriological methods to determine whether ally bacteria were still alive and would grow. ft was also likely that the spores o? certain “m odds,” the organ isms that cause mildew, might he present.

The reslilt showed that neither . bacteria nor mildew spores had survived their long sojourn in the tomb. That bacteria and moulds were present in the tomb when it was sealed is quite certain. Why. then, did these Jiving organisms die?

It is a. question of moisture. AYhon the tomb was sealed it was quite humid from the wall-paintings and the breath and perspiration of the work-

men. It was then 'that a certain amount of bacterial and mildewing notion occurred. Apparently, however. after a rcatively short time the amount of moisture present tell below a certain figure, and it is doubtless owing to this that many of the contents of the tomb are so well preserved. Decay and decomposition are caused mainly hv bacteria and moulds. They must, however, have a certain amount of moisture, and it this is absent, no matter how much food material ;is present, they cease to grow, and decay ceases.

An example of this is afforded by some of the linen from the tomb. Tlic fabric is badly lulled in places by large dark brown spots where moulds or bacteria, have attacked it. but elsewhere the material is lighter in colour and miirh stronger. It would seem that the organisms started tf • destruction of iho fabric but died I. - fore, completing the decay. Tutankhamen's tomb. then, was devoid of all lile. and no curse was lee' - v! within its walls.