Kharkoff University--Physiology--The Vorticella--Controversy with
Kühne--_The Origin of Species_--The Gastrotricha--University degree.
There was now no choice and he had to resign himself to the Kharkoff
University. There is not much to relate about this period, which was
but a fugitive episode in the course of Elie Metchnikoff, for the "Alma
Mater" did not have upon him either the influence or the prestige which
it generally exerts upon youth.
Whilst the stream of new ideas had already reached the Lycée, the
University of Kharkoff had remained extremely conservative; this was
owing to the fact that the Lycée professors were young men, whilst
those of the University were elderly and old-fashioned. Officials
rather than scientists, they were content with ancient methods, and
lectured without practical work, from obsolete and ill-chosen manuals.
A few of them drank, others neglected their work. In the Medical and
Natural Science Faculties, only two _agrégés_ were newly appointed,
Tschelkoff, the physiologist we have already mentioned, and a chemist
named Békétoff. These two were indeed scientists and master-minds, and
it was only under their direction that any one did any serious work;
the other lectures were pure formalities. Elie wished to go in for
medical studies but his mother dissuaded him. "You are too sensitive,"
she said, "you could not bear the constant sight of human suffering."
At the same time, Tschelkoff suggested the Natural Science Faculty as
being more appropriate to purely scientific activity. Elie accepted his
opinion and began to study physiology under his direction. His great
desire was to embark at once on personal research, and his teacher
advised him to study the mobile stalk of a ciliated Infusorian, the
Vorticella. The question was to determine whether this stalk presented
any analogy with muscular tissue and whether it offered the same
reactions. Elie set to work with ardour and found that the stalk of
the Vorticella had no muscular character. His memoir on the subject
appeared in 1863 in _Müller's Archives_. It provoked a severe, even
brutal, answer from the celebrated physiologist Kühne which deeply
grieved the young scientist and, stimulating his energy still further,
incited him to repeat his experiments. He obtained the same results as
the first time, and answered Kühne in a somewhat bitter manner, the
latter's tone having stirred his combativity.
Meanwhile, Elie was yearning for independent and more general study.
During his unsuccessful journey, he had acquired in Leipzig many
recently published scientific books, and, among them, Darwin's _Origin
of Species_. The theory of evolution deeply struck the boy's mind and
his thoughts immediately turned in that direction. He said to himself
that isolated forms which had found no place in definite animal or
vegetable orders might perhaps serve as a bond between those orders
and elucidate their genetic relationships. This leading idea made him
choose for his researches some very singular fresh-water creatures,
partly like Rotifera and partly like certain worms of the Nematode
group. He succeeded in establishing a new intermediate order which he
named "Gastrotricha," and which was straightway accepted.
The whole of his first year at the University was given up to those
special studies. As he was fully aware that the teaching of the
University did not answer to his aspirations, he resolved to remain
there as short a time as possible, and to get through the course of
studies in two years instead of the four which were usual. In order
to succeed in doing so, he provisionally gave up his scientific
researches, attended the lectures as a free auditor, and spent the
whole of the second year in cramming for the "candidate" examination,
which answers to a Licentiate in Western universities. It happened
again this time that the examinations coincided with the Opera season,
but, though he indulged in his passion for music, he succeeded, by dint
of a supreme effort, in passing them very brilliantly.
Having gone through the University at such an accelerated pace,
he did not come into contact with other students, who, themselves
chiefly preoccupied with politics, took little interest in a youth so
exclusively absorbed in science. He therefore formed none of those
attractive juvenile friendships which he had enjoyed at the Lycée.
His hasty University studies necessarily left lacunæ in his general
knowledge, a fact which he afterwards keenly deplored.
With the exception of Tschelkoff, his teachers had had no decisive
influence on his career, and his two years at the University formed but
a colourless episode in his life.