LIFE OF ELIE METCHNIKOFF 101 



permits to professors. ' ' Metchnikoff somewhat altered 

 the text, which, after being adopted by the University 

 Council, was rejected by the Ministry and remained 

 without effect. Thus was every independent sugges- 

 tion stifled, even when it had but a purely scientific 

 object. 



Soon the situation of the Odessa University became 

 even more difficult. Between 1875 and 1880 reaction 

 increased considerably, and the inner life of the 

 University became very unfavourable to any scientific 

 activity. Already before that it was teeming with 

 intrigues, the Professors of Ukrainian origin being 

 hostile to the " Muscovites." Yet it was still pos- 

 sible to remain apart from these local intrigues, until 

 political reaction, filtering into the University, created 

 in it the deepest divisions. The hostility of parties 

 was now based on political opinions, either " Reac- 

 tionary " or " Liberal." The students were being 

 more and more carried away by this movement and 

 no longer took any interest in their studies. 



All these conditions made normal teaching and 

 scientific work impossible, and Metchnikoff, seeing that 

 politics from above and from below now swallowed 

 up everything, tried to take refuge in his laboratory, 

 but in vain ; even there he could no longer find the 

 necessary calm, and only during the holidays could 

 he really work. 



Thus passed the years until March 1, 1881, when 

 the crime which ended the days of Alexander II. 

 was followed by a great reactionary movement. The 

 authorities, seeing conspiracies and plots everywhere, 

 persecuted without cause all the elements which were 

 ticketed as " dangerous." Though the University 

 still preserved its autonomy, this was entirely fictitious, 



