The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

12750

Title

The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

H.G. Wells presents a collection of short stories blending science, social commentary, and adventure. From the terrifying potential of stolen cholera to the discovery of ancient diamonds and mysterious orchids, these tales explore human ambition, the dangers of unchecked science, and the thin line between sanity and madness.

Summary up to 500 words

In H.G. Wells' 1895 collection *The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents*, scientific curiosity collides with human folly and fate in a series of gothic tales. The opening story, "The Stolen Bacillus," features a desperate anarchist who infiltrates a bacteriologist's laboratory to steal a tube of living cholera germs for a terrorist attack. However, the scientist reveals the preparation is merely a stained, dead specimen. In a twist of irony, the anarchist, driven by his own madness and fear of capture, drinks the poison himself, dying swiftly while the scientist watches with detached amusement. "The Diamond Maker" follows a penniless chemist who, driven by obsession, secretly synthesizes diamonds using a dangerous furnace in his impoverished London room. After years of poverty and makeshift labor, he successfully creates a large diamond. His triumph is short-lived; a drunken neighbor reports him to the police, forcing the chemist to flee with his treasure. The story leaves readers questioning whether his success was genuine or a delusion born of starvation and isolation, highlighting the precarious nature of genius and the harsh reality of the urban poor. In "Aepyornis Island," an explorer named Evans is stranded on a swampy atoll in Madagascar after his boat drifts away. He discovers massive eggs of the extinct Aepyornis bird and ancient treasures hidden by Chinese sailors. Betrayed by his native guides, who plot to abandon him, Evans finds himself trapped in a hostile jungle. The narrative takes a horrific turn when Evans and his companion discover a dead Chinese man and a pile of gold bars. They soon realize the gold is coated in a deadly, poisonous thorn, a trap set by the deceased man. The tale concludes with Evans succumbing to the poison, illustrating the lethal cost of obsession and the unpredictable dangers of the unknown. Wells masterfully weaves themes of isolation, the destructive potential of obsession, and the capricious nature of fate throughout the collection. The tone oscillates between the wonder of scientific discovery and the chilling atmosphere of gothic horror, presenting a world where rationality often fails against the forces of madness and nature.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Short Stories
• Science Fiction