CONFLICT OF THE MICROBE WITH THE ORGANISM 253 



Strictly speaking, it is entirely possible that a virus 

 should exist in the sense formerly attributed to this 

 word, produced by the bacteridium and accompanying 

 it in all its cultures. But this is the essential thing, 

 that it is not produced independently of the organism, 

 and that, consequently, whatever the mechanism of 

 its action, the bacteridium is the sole cause of anthrax. 

 This is the demonstration which the note of April 

 30, 1877, 1 gave with a clearness and conciseness truly 

 marvelous. It was said at the time and has been 

 repeated since, that it was unnecessary, and that the 

 proof which it set forth had already been made and 

 accepted by many scientific men. Yes, but it was not 

 accepted by all, and those who did accept it were in- 

 capable of convincing others. Some of us had faith, 

 nobody had assurance or certainty. Henceforth, there 

 was a sure beginning of things, and a method of work: 

 one could go ahead, and Pasteur made haste to reach 

 the goal before the others. 



VIII 

 CONFLICT OF THE MICROBE WITH THE ORGANISM 



In order to comprehend thoroughly the history of 

 his efforts from this time on and not to be too much 

 impressed with their seemingly disconnected character, 

 we must recall the fact that Pasteur was neither a 

 physician nor a veterinary surgeon, and that the history 

 of any disease, as a disease, did not interest him deeply. 

 That which he studied in the anthrax bacteridium was 

 not the anthrax, but the mode of reaction of the microbe 



Pasteur et Joubert, Charbon et septicemie, Comptes rendus de 

 I' Academic des Sciences, 1877. 



