116 LOUIS PASTEUR 



left-handed tartrates, and in spite of a most flat- 

 tering account of his work by the mineralogist, 

 Senarmont, Pasteur received only sixteen votes, 

 thirty being required for election. Again in 1861 

 he stood for election, this time in botany on ac- 

 count of his researches on minute forms of plant 

 life. Championed by Balard and again by Biot he 

 obtained 24 votes and failed again. The fact that 

 he was a professional botanist doubtless counted 

 against him. Moquin-Tandon, who was urged by 

 Balard to support Pasteur, replied, "Let us go 

 to Pasteur's and if you find a botanical work in 

 his library, I shall put him on the list." It would 

 not be surprising if the quest should have been 

 unsuccessful. In 1862, through the death of his 

 friend, Senarmont, a vacancy was again created in 

 the section on mineralogy, and this time Pasteur 

 was elected. 



The battles over spontaneous generation had 

 taught Pasteur many things which he was able to 

 turn to good account in his efforts to solve several 

 practical problems which now engaged his atten- 

 tion. Nearly a year was devoted to studying the 

 manufacture of vinegar and in endeavoring to 

 obviate several of the difficulties and mishaps that 

 beset the makers of this useful article. Vinegar, 



