ee THE LIFE OF PASTEUR 



Vienna, September 21 j 1852. *' Yesterday, Monday morn- 

 ing, I set out to call upon several people. Unfortunately, I 

 hear that Professor Schrotten is at Weisbaden, at a scientific 

 congress, as well as M. Seybel, a manufacturer of tartaric acid. 

 M. Miller, a merchant for whom I had a letter of recommenda- 

 tion, was kind enough to ask M. Seybel 's business manager 

 for permission for me to visit the factory in his absence. He 

 refused, saying he was not authorized. But I did not give in; 

 I asked for the addresses of Viennese professors, and I for- 

 tunately came upon that of a very well known scientific man, 

 M. Redtenbacher, who has been kind to me beyond all 

 description. At 6 a.m. he came to my hotel, and we took the 

 train at 7 for the Sej'-bel manufactory, which is at a little dis- 

 tance from Vienna. We were received by the chemist of the 

 factory, who made not the slightest difficulty in introducing 

 us into the sanctuary, and after many questions we ended by 

 being convinced that the famous racemic acid was seen there 

 last winter. ... I reserve for later many details of great 

 interest, for here they have operated for years on crude tartar. 

 I came away very happy. 



*' There is another factory of tartaric acid in Vienna. We 

 go there; I repeat through M. Redtenbacher my string of 

 questions. They have seen nothing. I ask to see their 

 products, and I come upon a barrel full of tartaric acid crystals, 

 on the surface of which I think I perceive the substance. A 

 first test made with dirty old glasses then and there confirms 

 my doubts; they become a certainty a few moments later at 

 M. Redtenbacher 's laboratory. We dine together; then we 

 go back to the factory, where we learn, miraculous to relate, 

 that they are just now embarrassed in their manufacturing 

 process, and, almost certainly, the product which hinders them 

 — though it is in a very small quantity, and they take it for 

 sulphate of potash — is no other than racemic acid. I wish I 

 could give you more details of this eventful day. I was to 

 have left Vienna to-day, but, as you will understand, I shall 

 stay until I have unravelled this question. I have already in 

 the laboratory three kinds of products from the factory. To- 

 morrow night, or the day after, I shall know what to think. . . . 



''You remember what I used to say to you and to M. Dumas, 

 that almost certainly the first operation which tartar goes 

 through in certain factories causes it to lose all or nearly all its 

 racemic acid. Well, in the two Viennese factories, it is only 



