206 PASTEUR: THE HISTORY OF A MIND 



leaving aside the Dii mmores, such men as CI. Bernard 

 and Berthelot did not succeed in comprehending it. 

 It is true that only with difficulty do great minds under- 

 stand one another. We have seen Liebig remain deaf to 

 the arguments of Pasteur and blind to his demonstra- 

 tions; we are going to see the same struggle in the dark 

 follow between Bernard, Berthelot and Pasteur. 



IDEAS OF CLAUDE BERNARD ON FERMENTATION 



The history of the discussion with Bernard is curious 

 in that Bernard took no part in it, and that Pasteur, 

 was obliged to debate with a shade. This was very 

 painful to him. Bernard had been while he lived, I will 

 not say a confidant, but a friend with whom he loved 

 to chat during the seances of the Academy of Sciences. 

 These seances are of value only because of these chats, 

 and it would be beneficial to allow them to go on fieely 

 in the salon, while the Bureau proceeded, in another 

 part of the building, with the official reception of notes 

 and memoirs. We may well believe that between Bernard 

 and Pasteur, who occupied neighboring arm chairs, there 

 w^as no question of religion, politics or scandal. They 

 spoke of science to the great benefit of themselves and 

 of others. Theirs were two powerful minds, concentrated 

 in their work, the more capable, consequently, of a mutual 

 appreciation and understanding, but gaining by an 

 exchange of blows and a sharpening of wits one against 

 the other. 



Bernard, toward the end of his life, had been led to a 

 conception of the phenomena of life which seemed then 

 and still seems a little strange. He conceived that there 



