126 PASTEUR 



definite proof of the parasitic character of this 

 infectious disease. 



But how was anthrax communicated to ani- 

 mals, and was there any hope of protecting 

 them from it? Again, as in the case of the silk- 

 worms, the Minister of Agriculture commis- 

 sioned Pasteur to make a study of this evil, 

 which ravaged the cattle-raising districts, caus- 

 ing losses which amounted annually to tens of 

 millions. Nothing was known beyond the fact 

 that the animals who were pastured in certain 

 fields that were known as bad fields became in- 

 fected with anthrax. Pasteur installed himself 

 in the environs of Chartres and began his re- 

 searches. He was accompanied by M. Roux, 

 who bears witness to the perspicacity of his ob- 

 servations conducted on the spot: 



"The harvest had been gathered," he wrote, 

 "and nothing remained but the stubble. Pas- 

 teur's attention was drawn to a certain portion 

 of the field, because of the different colouring 

 of the earth. The owner explained that this 

 was the spot where they had buried the sheep 



