The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents

"The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents" by H. G. Wells is a compilation of short stories penned in the late 1800s that navigates themes of science, morality, and the ridiculous aspects of humanity, often using satire. The collection kicks off with "The Stolen Bacillus," which centers on a bacteriologist whose research and the fallouts from dangerous knowledge become integral to the story. This story starts in a lab where a bacteriologist shows the cholera germ to a curious and sinister guest, who we learn is an Anarchist interested in the destructive potential of the germ. A tense situation unfolds as the Anarchist steals the vial of germs, with plans to put it into London’s water supply. The bacteriologist's chase adds tension and disorder, commenting on irresponsible ambition and unchecked scientific advancements, which hooks the reader in, and questions the ethics of science and the vulnerability of society.