AN INCIDENT IN PASTEUR’S LIFE.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 143, 29 November 1895, Page 2

AN INCIDENT IN PASTEUR’S LIFE.

The Times’ Paris correspondent, in his biographical nofcice| of Pasteur, records a curious incident. He says : “Many years ago I received a letter in which the Prefect of the Seine etMarne announced that an interesting experiment with vaccination for anthrax was to be made on the morrow under M. Pasteur’s auspices at a farm near Melun, and he invited me to be present. I accepted the invitation, and set out from Melun for this farm, several miles distant. A fortnight previously, in a bit of waste ground forming an enclosed corner of the field an animal which had suffered from anthrax had been buried just below the surface, and grass had been sown. When i his had begun to come up, 50 sheep selected by the veterinary surgeon of tiie Department were taken, and 25 of them were vaccinated with the anti-anthrax virus. r i he whole number were thou turned into the enclosed grassy plot to browse. We readied the spot four days later. At the prefecture and during the journey to the farm the veterinary surgeons who bad assembled maintained a rather sceptical, disdainful attitude. They were convinced that the experiment would not succeed. When we arrived they entered the enclosure, and behold an extraordinary spectacle. The 25 sheep that had not been vaccinated were dead. Out of the 25 othe s that had been specially marked j 24 were in admirable condition, and very lively. The twenty-fifth, which appeared to be ailing, soon recovered, and it was afterwards found that this animal had been given an overdose of vaccine namely, all that had remained in the bottle. The effect of this experiment upon the assembled company was electric. The veterinary surgeons were more enthusiastic than any, and rushed to M. Pasteur, as though to carry him on their shoulders. Then, and not till did I perceive M. Pasteur, who had . preceded us at the farm. His unostentatious and prepossessing countenance struck me. He seemed confused and almost ashamed at the honour paid him.”