LIFE OF ELIE METCHNIKOFF 247 



of the general disorganisation and the impossibility 

 of obtaining animals for experiments. He had to 

 content himself with continuing his memoir on 

 infantile cholera and his observations on the silk- 

 worm moth. 



As he was almost altogether precluded from 

 laboratory work, he began to write a study on " The 

 Founders of Modern Medicine," in order to demon- 

 strate, by concrete examples, the importance of 

 positive science in its application to life. This is 

 what he said in his preface to the book : 



These pages were written under special circumstances. If 

 not in the actual hearing of guns, it was in expectation of it 

 that I had to spend several weeks in my Paris laboratory, 

 now under war conditions. These meant an almost complete 

 cessation of any scientific activity in our Institute. 



For fear of a lack of food, the animals used for our experi- 

 ments had been killed, which deprived us of the possibility 

 of proceeding with our researches. 



The stables of the Institute were filled with cows who 

 provided milk for the hospitals and children's homes. 



The greatei* number of our young collaborators, assistants, 

 or laboratory attendants were mobilised, and only the female 

 employees and old men remained. One of the latter, I 

 found myself in the impossibility of pursuing my investiga- 

 tions and in possession of much leisure. I made use of it to 

 write this book in the hope that it might be helpful. 



It is not intended for physicians, for they know aU that is 

 expounded in it, but for young men who are seeking a scope 

 for their activities. 



We may be sure that the insane war which broke out in 

 consequence of the lack of knowledge or of power of those 

 who should have watched over peace, will be followed by a 

 long period of calm. It is to be hoped that this unexampled 

 butchery will, for a long time, do away with the desire for 

 fighting, and that soon the need will be felt of a more rational 



