86 THE PLACE OF SCIENCE IN 
a method which had been used in connexion with small-pox, 
but which now was made available for another serious trouble 
affecting the animal kingdom. These discoveries of Pasteut’s, 
demonstrated as they were by the most carefully collected 
evidence, did not convince the medical people of his own 
country. There is deep conservatism in almost all minds 
and especially in certain intellectual minds, and this con- 
servatism was extremely evident in the medical profession 
of France. Pasteur’s theories were doubted. His experi- 
mental results were questioned, and eventually in order to 
put matters to test a great public trial was arranged and 
carried out in regard to the disease anthrax, that I have 
already spoken of as affecting the sheep. This particular 
trial marks one of the ‘most important epochs in the 
history of medicine. Sixty sheep were placed at the disposal 
of Pasteur for trial. Ten of these were put aside and nothing 
was done to them. Of the remaining fifty, twenty-five were 
treated with the preventive inoculation ; twenty-five were not 
so treated. Then the whole fifty, inoculated and non-inocu- 
lated, were given a dose of active disease germ. Time was 
allowed to lapse, and then, spectators having gathered from 
all parts of France, the herds of sheep were examined, and 
when the appointed day had expired the twenty-five inoculated 
were in excellent health and the twenty-five non-inoculated 
were all dead. I cannot go on giving a complete story of 
Pasteur’s life, I merely wish to give an idea of the method 
by which he was led to attack and solve the. problems that 
lay in front of him in relation to the great pressing needs 
of humanity in France. These investigations were inter- 
rupted for a period by Pasteur’s being called away to render 
service in combating another disease affecting silkworms 
which was threatening to ruin one of the greatest industries 
of France. The silk industry of France is worth many 
millions. It was threatened by a peculiar disease which 
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