PASTEUR: A STUDY IN GREATNESS n 



its origin. He now undertook the discovery of this. In 1852 he visited 

 all the factories of tartaric acid in Germany and Austria, endeavoring 

 to trace the production of racemic acid to its source. He ascertained 

 that the manufacturers generally had an idea that racemic acid was 

 either potassium or magnesium sulphate, and consequently rejected it 

 in the process of refining tartaric acid. This accounted for the limited 

 quantity which had accidentally found its way to the market. As most 

 of the tartars came from the south of Europe, and had been subjected 

 to a preliminary rectification before shipment, it was further evident 

 that but a moiety of racemic acid ever reached the factories. He pushed 

 on his enquiries, visiting factories and vineyards until he positively lo- 

 cated it in the crude tartar, where he found, as he had anticipated, that 

 it was produced abundantly simultaneously with tartaric acid in the 

 fermentation of wines. He wrote of this quest " Never was treasure 

 sought, never adored beauty pursued, with greater ardor." 



Having located the natural source of racemic acid, Pasteur next 

 undertook to synthesize it from tartaric acid. This appears an easy 

 problem in light of what every student now knows of the methods for 

 effecting hydration, for constitutionally racemic acid differs from tar- 

 taric merely in possessing water of crystallization. In June, 1853, he 

 was able to announce the completion of this great work, which had 

 been accomplished by maintaining cinchona tartrate at a high tempera- 

 ture for several hours. This synthetic product was also optically inac- 

 tive. It is known as meso-tartaric acid, and is the fourth form of the 

 series. This research brought its author the grand prize of the Academie 

 Franchise, and the ribbon of the Legion of Honor from the government. 



Looking now at the tartaric acids, Pasteur's mind took a wider 

 sweep. He saw that they were typical of all living things, which pre- 

 sent asymmetry everywhere, and that they themselves were products 

 of a form of life. 



While engaged upon the racemates, he had found that the dextro- 

 crystals alone were altered by fermentation, the lsevo-forms remaining 

 unchanged in the liquor. " The reason for this," said he, " can only be 

 because this special ferment feeds, so to speak, more easily on the dex- 

 tro-forms." 



He pondered this problem long before he saw his way clear to its 

 solution. At the same time he sought to unravel the indicated physio- 

 logical significance of chemical affinities. 



In September, 1854, Pasteur was appointed professor of chemistry 

 and dean of the new faculty of sciences at Lille. Upon taking up his 

 duties, he was greatly hampered at first by lack of facilities. The con- 

 ditions which he encountered would have disheartened any other man. 

 The scientific equipment consisted of a coke-heated stove with which 

 his room was warmed and one student's microscope. This institution 



