Hygiene Congress in Vienna--Wiesbaden--Munich--Paris and
Pasteur--Berlin and Koch--Failure of anthrax vaccination
of sheep--Decision to leave Russia.
In 1887 we went to Vienna, where a Congress of Hygienists was held,
in which, for the first time, bacteriologists took part. Metchnikoff
thus had the opportunity of becoming acquainted with many of them and
to make inquiries concerning bacteriological laboratories. Professor
Hueppe, of Wiesbaden, very kindly invited him to come to work in his
own. The idea pleased Metchnikoff, who thought that a peaceful little
University town would be very favourable to his work. But he found
that his situation would be very difficult at Wiesbaden on account of
the lack of harmony between the different laboratories in the town; he
therefore gave up the project which had seemed to him so tempting.
By this time many objections had been raised against the phagocyte
theory, and, Emmerich having attacked him very violently, Metchnikoff
went to Munich to have an explanation with him. This gave him the
opportunity of realising that Munich, like Wiesbaden, was not a place
where he would care to settle.
He had a great desire to know Pasteur and his collaborators, who had
just been playing such an important scientific part, and, finding
ourselves within easy reach of Paris, we repaired thither, without
the slightest idea of settling there. This is how Metchnikoff himself
described his first interview with Pasteur:
On arriving at the laboratory destined for the antirabic
vaccinations, I saw an old man, rather undersized, with a left
hemiplegia, very piercing grey eyes, a short beard and moustache and
slightly grey hair, covered by a black skull-cap. His pale and sickly
complexion and tired look betokened a man who was not likely to live
many more years. He received me very kindly, and immediately spoke
to me of the question which interested me most, the struggle of the
organism against microbes.
"I at once placed myself on your side," he told me, "for I have
for many years been struck by the struggle between the divers
micro-organisms which I have had occasion to observe. I believe you
are on the right road."
Pasteur at that time was chiefly occupied with antirabic vaccinations
and with the building of a new Institute in the rue Dutot. Seeing the
vast dimensions of the edifice and learning that the scientific staff
was not large, Metchnikoff asked Pasteur if he might hope to work in
one of the laboratories in an honorary capacity. Pasteur not only
acceded to this request but offered him a whole laboratory. He was
most kind, invited us to his home and introduced Metchnikoff to his
collaborators, who produced an excellent impression on my husband.
Though all this made him incline more and more towards the Pasteur
Institute, he still dreaded life in a large and noisy city, thinking
that a peaceful little University town would be more favourable to his
work. Therefore, before making a final decision, he desired to visit a
few more bacteriological laboratories.
On our way back we passed through Berlin, where Metchnikoff wished
to see Professor Koch and to show him some interesting specimens of
phagocytosis. The great _savant_ received him very coldly. For a long
time, while examining specimens of the spleen in relapsing fever, he
refused to recognise in them an example of phagocytosis. Though he
was at last obliged to bow to evidence, he yet remained unfavourable
to the phagocyte theory, and all his assistants followed his example.
Metchnikoff was much surprised and grieved by this hostility towards
his ideas, notwithstanding that they were based on well-established
facts. We hastened to leave Berlin.
Many years later, when phagocytosis was generally admitted, even in
Germany, Professor Koch and many other German scientists welcomed
Metchnikoff very kindly, which somewhat counterbalanced the
unpleasantness of early memories. But, at that time, the contrast
between our impression of Paris and of Germany was so great that all
hesitation was at an end: the choice was made.
On returning to Odessa, Metchnikoff began to prepare his resignation
and his departure. Yet he still had time to make some researches on
phagocytosis in tuberculosis, in reply to the objections which rained
upon his theory.
In the spring, he handed over the direction of the Institute to Dr.
Gamaléia and took leave; we went to the country for a while before
our final departure. During that time, Drs. Gamaléia and Bardach were
making anthrax vaccinations on a large scale in a vast private property
in the province of Kherson. When we were settled in our country
home, Metchnikoff received a telegram announcing that the first
anthrax vaccine had killed many thousand sheep. Though, as a matter
of fact, his personal responsibility was not involved, the blow was a
terrible one; he hastened back to Odessa to elucidate the cause of the
catastrophe. But it remained obscure....
This painful episode was the last drop which made the cup brim over; it
strengthened Metchnikoff in his resolve to leave Russia.