Will sterilization get rid of germs?

Dr. James L. Greenwald, associate professor of family medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University and an active amateur trombonist, was recently quoted on this issue. ("Germs Live on Musical Instruments and Everywhere." Syracuse Post-Standard, Sept. 19, 2006.) When asked whether sterilizing an instrument would get rid of germs, he replied, "It would kill all the germs, but so what? They would come back as soon as you brought the instrument back into the world." Download the article (PDF).