Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-13
DIR. ERNEST LAPLACE
On Pasteur, the Founder of Modern
Medicine and Surgery

7 OUIS PASTEUR. the centenary OF
II whose birth will be observed all over
the world on the eth Of the pres.
ent month, was the foundation uron
which rests the whole structure OF modern
medicine and surgery, according to DIR.
Ernest Laplnce. who studied under the great
French biological chemist and pathologst.
"On the 9th of December. 1922" said
DR.. TapTaco. Louis Pastcur was born III
Northeastern France in the village Of Dole.
II" was the son of a tanner, who served
with distinction in the Napolconic wars.
Louis showed no signs of especial distinc-
ton, except an unusual tial attachment
and reverence for the things clevnting to
the mind and soul. AS n schoolboy he
showed no unusual aptitude, while in chem
isry and the studies in which he was later
destined to become immortal he ranked below
the average.
Interested in Crystallogrnphy
'.It the University Of Strassbourg he
became attracted to tho study Of crysta!iog-
raphy, or the formation OF crystals during
chemical reaction. II was during the study
of CRYSTALS Of pcrtartratc Of mGgncSin,
solution OF which he had subjected TO fer
mcntution, that lie noticed myrlads OF Wrig-
Cling germs under the microscope, while the
crystals altered their shapes and bubbles
o. gaS appeared.
The movements Of these germs sug-
gested to him that they were alive, ana ne
wondered what would happen II he destroyed
this life by heat. Taking then drop or
the same mixture which he had previously
heated, he examined the liquid under the
microscope and found that the germs had
been killed, but also noticed that the altera-
ton in the shape Of the crystals had ceased.
From this he concluded that the life and
';rowth of the germs was the necessary cause
Of the formation and alteration Of the crys-
tails.
This was the first time that II had ever
occurred to the mind OF man that there exists
sbour us. in the air and in the ground, a
world Of infinitely small beings whose
drv"iupmrut might be connected with the
affairs Of man, This was the Columbus
egg of Pasteur's whole scientific life and
tho seed Of that vast tree of knowledge whicn
waa T" result In Il revolution OF the science
and art Of medicine and surgery. SO that oil
We have done and are now doing are but
the branches Of that great tree Of which
Fastour Is the trunk and root.
Fermentation the Secret
This experiment borc to him a strange
analogy with the phenomenon usually
obscrved in the formation of beer. The
brewer puts n handful Of yeast into the
wort and Ia Il few hours there is a plentiful
production nf yraPt, while the wort changes
in character from a gwee, solution into q
u
poison from which, should one partake too
freely, intoSication is the result.
"I.ikewisc in the manufacture Of wine. a
delicate ferment or germ exists on the sur
face Of the grape, which, on being mixed
with the grape juice in the wine press, starts
fermentation, changing the grape juice or
sweet solution into new substance, now
known as caret or vino. Until then no
one had the slightest knowledge of how or
why gra juice fermentrd, although Noah
| experimental with IL and experienced the
results.
"Licbic. tho greatest chemist Of his day ,
In discussing this with Pasteur. denied that
yeast acted in any other than n chemical
way and that the principle of life and
growth was not at all involved. To prove
the contrary, Pasteur took yeast and
| pounded and triturated It In a mortar,
thereby destroying the life Of the yeast
mechanically.
Pasteur's Contention Proved
"p1acinE the pulverized yeast in wort, II
| failed to produce beer or to grow, demon
strating that, while the chemistry OF the
| Yeast was not altered, beer could not be
produced except through the living growth
Of the yeast. But, said Liebig, how about
wine? We put no yeast In the grape Juice
! and, therefore, lifc is not concerned in the
| formation of wine
Nothing daunted, Pasteur washed the
grapes In warm water until the delicate
| film on the surface, the natural ferment or
the grape, had been removed and the grape
Juice, being protected from air, remained
grape juice and not wine, showing that the