THE DISEASES OF SILK WORMS 141 



day when he became ill. This circumstance has strongly 

 affected him, because it seemed to point to his non- 

 recovery. I beg you to give orders that the work under- 

 taken shall be continued. Rest assured of my sincere 

 friendship. 



Napoleon. 



The work on the building was immediately re- 

 sumed, and later as Pasteur improved he could see 

 from his window the rising walls of his new labora- 

 tory. 



It was several months before Pasteur was able 

 to return, even partially, to his work. But as soon 

 as his strength permitted he was back to Alais 

 superintending work on silk worms. He was soon 

 given an opportunity of testing out his methods of 

 silk worm culture on a large scale. The Prince 

 Imperial owned an estate, the Villa Vicentina, near 

 Trieste, upon which there were many mulberry 

 trees; but for several years, owing to the diseases 

 of silk worms, its yield of silk had greatly fallen 

 off. Pasteur was offered a lodgment at the Villa 

 with facilities for experimentation. He soon in- 

 stalled himself there with his family and began to 

 superintend the culture of silk worms raised from 

 healthy eggs which he had supplied. The result 



