THE HEATING OF WINES 143 



the deterioration of its merchandise and of increasing 

 more rapidly its commercial value, was a public benefit. 



Unfortunately, two years previous, on the plateau of 

 Pujaut in Gard, there had appeared the Phylloxera which 

 has since caused so much devastation, and the following- 

 year the insect had disseminated its colonies over a 

 large portion of the departments of Vaucluse and Bouches- 

 du-Rhone. Another microbial power had taken a hand, 

 against which science and agriculture were at this time 

 unarmed. Consequently, for some years Pasteur's 

 method was ruined. No one need consider how to keep 

 grains in a time of famine, and the heating of wines 

 was little practised except for those which must be 

 shipped under bad conditions as to keeping, for example, 

 in the commissariat of the Navy. 



But now they return to it gradually in the wine indus- 

 try, and for some years it has been employed regularly in 

 the beer traffic, with the best results. It has done more, 

 it has entered into the language, and the word pasteur- 

 ize signifies, even outside of France, to protect against 

 microbes by the action of heat. We pasteurize wine, 

 milk, and beer, and are right in performing the operation, 

 and in so calling it. 



I would be through with the subject if it were not for 

 saying a word or two on the claims of priority raised 

 against Pasteur, and on the somewhat bitter polemic 

 which resulted. It is always wrong to confide one's 

 rancors and jealousies to the public. We do not recollect 

 sufficiently that this public has its own affairs, is only 

 moderately interested in the fundamentals of the debate, 

 and contents itself with being amused at the blows. 

 Pasteur had the best side here and should have been 

 content with shrugging his shoulders. He was accused 

 of having re-invented the process of Appert, as if there 

 could be the least parity between the empiricism of the 



