88 Kansas Academy of Science. 



generation spontanee est une chimere." Now "omne vivum ex 

 ovo" and "Omne vivum- ex vivo" are biological axioms. The 

 practical significance of this very valuable contribution of 

 Pasteur will be considered later. 



Pasteur was a chemist by training and had devoted much 

 time to the study of fermentation in beers and wines. Espe- 

 cially was he concerned with the determination of those factors 

 responsible for these diseased liquors. He became convinced, 

 as a result of his studies, that the fermentation of beer and 

 wine and the souring of milk were due to the activity of living 

 microorganisms. Although this view had been previously 

 surmised, it remained for Pasteur to bring this truth to its full 

 realization. He even suggested that decay, disease and sup- 

 puration were fermentive processes analogous to that in wine. 

 Thus from studies concerned with those articles toward which 

 the bone-dry measure is directed has the happiness and health 

 of mankind been materially increased. 



Pasteur next took to the study of anthrax, which had been 

 only recently discovered. He found that it would flourish and 

 multiply in an environment other than blood. He made beef 

 extracts or bouillons, into which he planted the anthrax germs. 

 He noted that in a short time this medium became filled with 

 the swarming bacilli. He studied the effects of temperature, 

 and found that upon addition of certain chemicals the anthrax 

 became less poisonous or attenuated. These attenuated cul- 

 tures were then inoculated into animals, with the result that 

 the animal became extremely sick, but did not die as was the 

 case when the virulent bacilli were introduced. Later he 

 found that an animal which had been inoculated with the atten- 

 uated forms and recovered could withstand a more virulent 

 dose upon a second inoculation. After recovery from the sec- 

 ond dose the most virulent cultures of anthrax were ineffective. 

 Thus was the principle of immunity developed and established. 

 As soon as Pasteur had perfected this technique of producing 

 immunity, he announced his discovery to the world. Its re- 

 ception, like all great truths suddenly advanced, was met by 

 the most contumelious contravention. A commission was ap- 

 pointed to investigate the apparently absurd claims of this 

 French chemist. Was he a charlatan who desired to work his 

 mystic wares upon an ignorant and credulous public? France 

 lost yearly millions of dollars as a result of the havoc reaped 



