380 THE LIFE OF PASTEUR 



the European hospital, Dr. Ardouin, placed his wards at the 

 entire disposal of the French savants. In a certain number of 

 cases, it was possible to proceed to post-morteni examinations 

 immediately after death, before putrefaction had begun. It 

 was a great thing from the point of view of the search after a 

 pathogenic micro-organism as well as from the anatomo-patho- 

 logical point of view. 



The contents of the intestines and the characteristic stools of 

 the cholera patients offered a great variety of micro-organisms. 

 But which was really the cause of cholera? The most varied 

 modes of culture were attempted in vain. The same negative 

 results followed inoculations into divers animal species, cats, 

 dogs, swine, monkeys, pigeons, rabbits, guinea-pigs, etc., 

 made with the blood of cholerics or with the contents of their 

 bowels. Experiments were made with twenty-four corpses. 

 The epidemic ceased unexpectedly. Not to waste time, while 

 waiting for a reappearance of the disease, the French Commis- 

 sion took up some researches on cattle plague. Suddenly a 

 telegram from M. Eoux informed Pasteur that Thuillier had 

 succumbed to an attack of cholera. 



" I have just heard the news of a great misfortune," wrote 

 Pasteur to J. B. Dumas on September 19; " M. Thuillier 

 died yesterday at Alexandria of cholera. I have telegraphed 

 to the Mayor of Amiens asking him to break the news to the 

 family. 



" Science loses in Thuillier a courageous representative with 

 a great future before him. I lose a much-loved and devoted 

 pupil ; my laboratory one of its principal supports. 



' ' I can only console myself for this death by thinking of our 

 beloved country and all he has done for it." 



Thuillier was only twenty-six. How had this happened? 

 Had he neglected any of the precautions which Pasteur had 

 written down before the departure of the Commission, and 

 which were so minute as to be thought exaggerated ? 



Pasteur remained silent all day, absolutely overcome. The 

 head of the laboratory, M. Chamberland, divining his master's 

 grief, came to Arbois. They exchanged their sorrowful 

 thoughts, and Pasteur fell back into his sad broodings. 



A few days later, a letter from M. Eoux related the sad story : 

 " Alexandria, September 21. Sir and dear master Having 

 just heard that an Italian ship is going to start, I am writing a 

 few lines without waiting for the French mail. The tele- 



