1885—1888 423 



world; he also entertained foreign scientists. Pasteur had in 

 him a most valuable interpreter. Physicians came from all 

 parts of the world asking to be allowed to study the details of 

 the method. One morning, Dr. Grancher found Pasteur listen 

 ing to a physician who was gravely and solemnly holding forth 

 his objections to microbian doctrines, and in particular to the 

 treatment of hydrophobia. Pasteur having heard this long 

 monologue, rose and said, "Sir, your language is not very 

 intelligible to me. I am not a physician and do not desire to 

 be one. Never speak to me of your dogma of morbid spon- 

 taneity. I am a chemist; I carry out experiments and I try 

 to understand what they teach me. What do you think, 

 doctor?" he added, turning to M. Grancher. The latter 

 smilingly answered that the hour for inoculations had struck. 

 They took place at eleven, in Pasteur's study; he, standing by 

 the open door, called out the names of the patients. The date 

 and circumstances of the bites and the veterinary surgeon's 

 certificate were entered in a register, and the patients were 

 divided into series according to the degree of virulence which 

 was to be inoculated on each day of the period of treatment. 



Pasteur took a personal interest in each of his patients, help- 

 ing those who were poor and illiterate to find suitable lodgings 

 in the great capital. Children especially inspired him with a 

 loving solicitude. But his pity was mingled with terror, when, 

 on November 9, a little girl of ten was brought to him who had 

 been severely bitten on the head by a mountain dog, on October 

 3, thirty-seven daj^s before ! ! The wound was still suppurating. 

 He said to himself, "This is a hopeless case: hydrophobia is 

 no doubt about to appear immediately; it is much too late 

 for the preventive treatment to have the least chance of success. 

 Should I not, in the scientific interest of the method, refuse to 

 treat this child ? If the issue is fatal, all those who have already 

 been treated will be frightened, and many bitten persons, dis- 

 couraged from coming to the laboratory, may succumb to the 

 disease!" These thoughts rapidly crossed Pasteur's mind. 

 But he found himself unable to resist his compassion for the 

 father and mother, begging him to try and save their child. 



After the treatment was over, Louise Pelletier had returned 

 to school, when fits of breathlessness appeared, soon followed 

 by convulsive spasms; she could swallow nothing. Pasteur 

 hastened to her side when these symptoms began, and new 

 inoculations were attempted. On December 2. there was a 



