438 THE LIFE OF PASTEUR 



neighbourhood, they had interviewed each one of them in their 

 own homes. "It may therefore be considered as certain" 

 thus ran the report "that M. Pasteur has discovered a 

 prophylactic method against hydrophobia which may be com- 

 pared with that of vaccination against small-pox. It would be 

 difficult to overestimate the utility of this discovery, both from 

 the point of view of its practical side and of its application to 

 general pathology. We have here a new method of inoculation, 

 or vaccination, as M. Pasteur sometimes calls it, and similar 

 means might be employed to protect man and domestic animals 

 against other virus as active as that of hydrophobia." 



Pasteur laid this report on the desk of the Academy of 

 Sciences on July 4. He spoke of its spirit of entire and 

 unanimous confidence, and added 



" Thus fall to the ground the contradictions which have been 

 published. I leave on one side the passionate attacks which 

 were not justified by the least attempt at experiment, the 

 slightest observation of facts in my laboratory, or even an 

 exchange of words and ideas with the Director of the Hydro- 

 phobia Clinic, Professor Grancher, and his medical assistants. 



"But, however deep is my satisfaction as a Frenchman, I 

 cannot but feel a sense of deepest sadness at the thought that 

 this high testimony from a commission of illustrious scientists 

 was not known by him who, at the very beginning of the 

 application of this method, supported me by his counsels and 

 his authority, and who later on, when I was ill and absent, 

 knew so well how to champion truth and justice ; I mean our 

 beloved colleague Vulpian." 



Vulpian had succumbed to a few days' illness. His speech 

 in favour of Pasteur was almost the farewell to the Academy 

 of this great-hearted scientist. 



The discussion threatened to revive. Other colleagues 

 defended Pasteur at the Academy of Medicine on July 12. 

 Professor Brouardel spoke, also M. Villemin, and then Charcot, 

 who insisted on quoting word for word Vulpian 's true and 

 simple phrase : "The discovery of the preventive treatment of 

 hydrophobia after a bite, entirely due to M. Pasteur's experi- 

 mental genius, is one of the finest discoveries ever made, both 

 from the scientific and the humanitarian point of view." And 

 Charcot continued : "I am persuaded that I express in these 

 words the opinion of all the medical men who have studied 

 the question with an open mind, free from prejudice; the 



