LIFE OF ELIE METCHNIKOFF 73 



Through his researches on the development of 

 Coelomata (Echinodermata) on the one hand and 

 Acoelomata (Ctenophora and Medusae) on the other, 

 Metchnikofi succeeded in proving that the lateral sacs 

 of the digestive cavity which give birth to the body 

 cavity of the Coelomata (Echinodermata) correspond 

 to the canals and vaso-digestive sacs of the Acoelo- 

 mata (Ctenophora and Medusae). The difierence 

 consists in that the latter do not detach themselves 

 in order to form a body cavity, which is therefore 

 lacking. 



The result of his researches satisfied Metchnikoff j 

 moreover, he began to feel again hopeful of his wife's 

 recovery. The only dark spot was that Setchenoff's 

 efforts had failed. Metchnikoff was not appointed 

 by the Faculty of Medicine, for it was found advisable 

 to replace the Chair of Zoology by one on Venereal 

 Diseases. On the other hand, he was nominated for 

 the Odessa University, supported by Cienkovsky and 

 unanimously elected. 



As he only had to go to his new post in the autumn, 

 he went for the summer to St. Vaast in Normandy 

 to study Lucernaria ; unfortunately the stay was not 

 a success ; the weather was cold and the sea very 

 rough, which made the Lucernaria impossible to find. 

 Life conditions were very difficult, all the male popu- 

 lation being at sea and the women being in the fields. 

 In order not to waste this journey he studied Ascidians, 

 and found that he had previously been mistaken at 

 Naples when he thought that the nervous system of 

 those animals originated from the lower embryonic 

 layer. Kovalevsky had been right in affirming the 

 contrary, and Elie hastened to write to tell him so. 



St. Vaast, open to every wind, was not favourable 



