LOUIS PASTEUR. 31 



gical methods were developed by Lister, the methods of Lister 

 were devised as the result of the study of Pasteur's work in fermen- 

 tation. Pasteur has opened to us a new world and given to us a new 

 science, has established upon a firm basis a science of medicine 

 and a science of surgery, and has added to the financial stores of 

 the world accumulations of great magnitude. It was all done by 

 slow work. The field was not a new one, for already investigators 

 had made inroads therein, but no one with anything like certainty 

 and accuracy. 



For years it was Pasteur alone who was capable of investigat- 

 ing bacteriologically with anything like a certainty of successful 

 issues. Bacteriological methods were too difficult to be handled 

 by anyone but a master. To-day it is true the methods have 

 been so simplified that far less genius has been required to handle 

 them, and to-day the bacteriologist has multiplied in every direc- 

 tion. But at the time when Pasteur was the pioneer, the methods 

 were so difficult as to be beyond the reach of any except those of 

 the greatest genius. Nor can we measure our debt to Pasteur by 

 his own work. This, indeed, was great, but our debt to him must 

 be also measured by the work of followers who were inspired by 

 him. In France, in England, in Germany, in America, we find 

 the study into this realm of the microscope inspired by the long, 

 laborious, and successful work of the French master. Even in 

 the latest achievement, the use of antitoxine, we have the direct 

 result of Pasteur's life. Where one leads others may follow. 



For a long time Pasteur stood alone, and it was only work 

 that he had done that could be looked upon as demonstrated. 

 Little by little, however, others came into the line of research, and 

 when to-day Pasteur is taken from the field of activity there are 

 many capable of carrying on his work. No man that France has 

 created is so worthy of her pride. No man who has lived in 

 history has done so much for humanity. No one who has lived 

 will be remembered by posterity as having had such an influence 

 upon the world in the way of discovering facts which advance the 

 health and prosperity of mankind. But, perhaps, the proudest 

 achievement he attained, viewed from the standpoint of a scientist, 

 was earning the right to the claim that ^^ Pasteur never makes 

 mistakes^ 



