PASTEUR LOUIS: (1822-1895)

PASTEUR LOUIS: (1822-1895)

‘The first vaccine I will send you tomorrow is to be tested for its strength

 

relative to the second you will receive’

 

PASTEUR LOUIS: (1822-1895) French chemist and microbiologist, renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination and pasteurisation. An excellent A.L.S., L. Pasteur, one page, 8vo, Paris, 8^th January 1882, to 'Monsieur le Directeur', in French. Pasteur writes to give his correspondent specific instructions regarding an experiment with the vaccination of his sheep, 'voici ce que je vous demande de faire: Partager votre lot de 30 moutons en deux de 15 chacun. Inoculer le premier vaccin (qui partira demain) a une cuisse seulement, a un des lots de 15. Inoculer le meme premier vaccin a chaque cuisse et simultanement et en meme quantite. Marquer d'un signe chaque lot pour bien les distinguer. Dans une douzaine de jours vous recevrez le deuxieme vaccin que vous inoculerez aux 30 moutons, de la meme maniere, par une seule piqure. Le premier vaccin que je vous enverrai demain est a essayer pour sa force relativement au second que vous recevrez. Mon but en vous demandant d'agir ainsi est de savoir 1. Ce que feront les deux piqures simultanees sur le premier lot. 2. Si les 15 du 2eme lot seront aussi bien vaccines par une seule piqure du premier. A cet effet veuillez prier vos habiles professeurs MM Puech et Sabat de prendre pendant 6 jours la temperature anale avec le meme thermometre des 30 moutons a la suite des premieres inoculations et apres le 2eme vaccin.....Je vous enverrai en son temps du virus charbonneux si vous n'en avez pas' (Translation: 'Here is what I ask you to do: Divide your lot of 30 sheep into two of 15 each. Inoculate the first vaccine (which will leave tomorrow) in one thigh only, in one of the batches of 15. Inoculate the same first vaccine in each thigh and simultaneously and in the same quantity. Mark each batch with a sign to distinguish them clearly. In a dozen days you will receive the second vaccine which you will inoculate 30 sheep, in the same way, with a single injection. The first vaccine I will send you tomorrow is to be tested for its strength relative to the second you will receive. My purpose in asking you to do so is to find out 1. What the two simultaneous bites will do on the first batch. 2. If the 15 of the 2^nd batch will be as well vaccinated by a single injection of the first. For this purpose please ask your skilful teachers MM Puech and Sabat to take for 6 days the anal temperature with the same thermometer of the 30 sheep following the first inoculations and after the 2^nd vaccine……I will send you anthrax virus if you don't have one'). With blank integral leaf. Neatly tipped at the left edge to a guard and bound within a handsome dark blue morocco small 4to presentation folder with a number of blank pages, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt and with a gilt stamped title to the spine. Contained within a custom marbled slipcase. A letter of significant content. VG