1870—1872 217 



was usual in the meetings of the solemn Academy, but scientific 

 truth was in question. And Pasteur, recognizing the old 

 arguments under M. Fremy's hemiorganism and M. Trecul's 

 transformations, referred his two contradictors to the experi- 

 ments by which he had proved that alterable liquids, such as 

 blood or urine, could be exposed to the contact of air deprived 

 of its germs without undergoing the least fermentation or putre- 

 faction. Had not this fact been the basis on which Lister had 

 founded ' ' his marvellous surgical method ' ' ? And in the bit- 

 terness given to his speech by his irritation against error, the 

 epithet "marvellous " burst out with a visible delight in ren- 

 dering homage to Lister. 



Pasteur, then in full possession of all the qualities of his 

 genius, was feeling the sort of fever known to great scientists, 

 great artists, great writers : the ardent desire of finding, of 

 discovering something he could leave to posterity. Inter- 

 rupted by these belated contradictors when he wanted to be 

 going forward, he only restrained his impatience with difficulty. 



His old master, Balard, appealed to him in the Academie 

 itself (January 22, 1872), in the name of their old friendship, to 

 disregard the attacks of his adversaries, instead of wasting his 

 time and his strength in trying to convince them. He reminded 

 him of all he had achieved, of the benefits he had brought to 

 the industries of wine, beer, vinegar, silkworms, etc., and 

 alluded to the possibility foreseen by Pasteur himself of pre- 

 serving mankind from some of the mysterious diseases which 

 were perhaps due to germs in atmospheric air. He ended by 

 urging him to continue his studies peacefully in the laboratory 

 built for him, and to continue the scientific education of young 

 pupils who might one day become worthy successors of Van 

 Tieghem, Duclaux, Gernez, Eaulin, etc. . . . thus forming a 

 whole generation of young scientists instructed in Pasteur's 

 school. 



M. Duclaux wrote to him in the same sense : "I see very 

 well what you may lose in that fruitless struggle — your rest, 

 your time and your health ; I try in vain to see any possible 

 advantage." 



But nothing stopped him ; neither Balard's public advice, 

 his pupils' letters, even J. B. Dumas' imploring looks. He 

 could not keep himself from replying. Sometimes he regretted 

 his somewhat sharp language, though — in his own words — 

 he never associated it with feelings of hostility towards his 



