1873—1877 225 



not -within the power of physiology to explain the simplest 

 pathological affection." Trousseau, on the other hand, was 

 endowed with the far-seeing intelligence of a great physician 

 attentive to the progress of science. He was greatly interested 

 in Pasteur 's work, and fully appreciated the possibilities opened 

 by each of his discoveries. 



Pasteur, with the simplicity which contrasted with his extra- 

 ordinary powers, supposed that, if he were armed with 

 diplomas, he would have greater authority to direct Medicine 

 towards the study of the conditions of existence of phenomena, 

 and — correlatively to the traditional method of observation, 

 which consists in knowing and describing exactly the course 

 of the disease — to inspire practitioners with the desire to pre- 

 vent and to determine its cause. An unexpected offer went 

 some way towards filling what he considered as a blank. At 

 the beginning of the year 1873, a place was vacant in the 

 section of the Free Associates of the Academy of Medicine. He 

 was asked to stand for it, and hastened to accept. He was 

 elected with a majority of only one vote, though he had been 

 first on the section's list. The other suffrages were divided 

 between I\ressrs. Le Roy de Merieourt, Brochin, Lheritier, 

 and Bertillon. 



Pasteur, as soon as he was elected, promised himself that he 

 would be a most punctual academician. It was on a Tuesday 

 in April that he attended his first meeting. As he walked 

 towards the desk allotted to him, his paralyzed left leg dragging 

 a little, no one among his colleagues suspected that this quiet 

 and unassuming new member would become the greatest revolu- 

 tionary ever known in Medicine. 



One thing added to Pasteur's pleasure in being elected — the 

 fact that he would join Claude Bernard. The latter had often 

 felt somewhat forlorn in that centre, where some hostility was 

 so often to be seen towards all that was outside the Clinic. 

 This was the time when the *' princes of science," or those who 

 were considered as such, were all physicians. Every great 

 physician was conscious of being a ruling power. The almost 

 daily habit of advising and counselling was added to that idea 

 of haughty or benevolent superiority to the rest of the world; 

 and, accustomed to dictate his wishes, the physician frequently 

 adopted an authoritative tone and became a sort of personage. 

 **Have you noticed," said Claude Bernard to Pasteur with a 

 smile under which many feelings were hidden, **that. when a 



