What did Louis Pasteur do? Louis Pasteur and his role in the development of microbiology


Louis Pasteur was born on December 27, 1822 in the city of Dole in France. His father was far from science and worked as a tanner.

Pasteur studied at the college in Arbois, where he became an assistant teacher. Having gained experience, he was able to get a job as a junior teacher in Besançon. However, colleagues who noticed Pasteur’s extraordinary mind advised him to get higher education. As a result, in 1843, Louis began studying at the Paris Ecole Normale Supérieure. In $1847, after graduating from it, he became a professor of physics at the Dijon Lyceum. However, he worked there for only a year and received a more significant position - professor of chemistry at the University of Strasbourg.

In 1854, he changed jobs again and ended up at the University of Lille. In $1856, Pasteur was offered the position of director of studies at the Ecole Normale Supérieure. For him, this was a unique opportunity to carry out significant reforms.

Advances in Chemistry

While still a student in 1848, Pasteur made his first discovery. While studying tartaric acid crystals, he discovered that when the crystal is divided into two parts, optical isomers are obtained. This conclusion became the basis of a new branch in chemistry - stereochemistry.

Another important discovery by Pasteur concerned the fermentation process. In 1857, he established the nature of the process, based on the action of bacteria in oxygen-free conditions. Moreover, Pasteur proposed a method of preserving food using heat treatment - pasteurization.

Only from 1876 Pasteur directed all his activities towards microbiology and especially immunology.

Advances in Medicine

Pasteur began studying infectious diseases such as anthrax, cholera, rabies, etc. During his research, he discovered that diseases are caused by certain types of pathogens.

Note 1

Louis Pasteur became the first researcher to make such great progress in the study of pathogens of infectious diseases. With its help, such sciences as microbiology, virology, immunology, and bacteriology were born. It was he who first showed that eliminating microorganisms by observing antiseptic rules helps prevent infection with infectious diseases. Moreover, Pasteur developed completely new method infection prevention - vaccination.

By 1881, he had invented a vaccine against anthrax, taking the first serious step in this direction. Finally, Louis Pasteur's most famous achievement was the creation of a rabies vaccine. Pasteur gave the first anti-rabies vaccination on July 6, 1885 to the boy Joseph Meister, whose mother begged him to save her son from imminent death. The vaccination worked successfully, and the boy soon recovered.

The results of his research quickly became public both in the scientific community and among ordinary people. Hopeful patients came from all over the world to cure the deadly disease.

Thanks to his fame that quickly spread throughout the world, Pasteur managed to raise funds to open a microbiological institute in Paris. The institution earned $18 November $1888 and became the most important center for the study of infectious diseases, their pathogens and methods of prevention, including immunization. The institute is still in operation. In the 20th century, eight employees of the center, one of whom was our compatriot Ilya Mechnikov, received Nobel Prizes. Louis Pasteur invited Mechnikov in 1887 to head the laboratory of “Morphology of Lower Organisms and Comparative Microbiology”. As a result, he eventually received the position of vice-president of the Institute and worked there all his life.

In recognition of Pasteur's success in the scientific community, he was accepted into the Paris, French and St. Petersburg Academies of Sciences.

Louis Pasteur, a chemist by training, devoted his life to the study of microorganisms and the development of methods to combat infectious diseases. His range of interests was extensive: Pasteur studied the processes of fermentation (1857) and spontaneous generation of microbes (1860), diseases of wine and beer (1865), and silkworms (1868). He proposed vaccines against anthrax (1881) and preventative vaccinations against rabies (1885).

The name of Pasteur was associated with the solution to a long dispute about the spontaneous generation and reproduction of microbes, which lasted from the beginning of the 18th to the second half of the 19th century. The idea of ​​spontaneous generation of living beings was not new. Since ancient times, it was believed that some animals can not only be born from their own kind, but also arise from inanimate matter: frogs from silt, mice from old grain. However, it was quite simple to prove that frogs do not appear in a jar of sludge, and that flies, lice and other insects originate from their own kind. The origin of the microbes remained unclear; it seemed that they emerged from “nothing.”

The Italian abbot Lazzaro Spallatsani performed a simple and ingenious experiment that showed that microorganisms come only from their own kind. He, observing one microbial cell in a drop of water, saw how it increased in size, thinned in the middle and divided into two individuals. The Russian researcher M. M. Terekhovsky (1775) in his work “On Animalcules” showed that if an infusion containing microorganisms is heated and cooled, then the animalcules die. However, the French scientist Pouchet and others refuted these experiments, proving that in boiled broth, after some time, microorganisms appear again - they spontaneously generate.

The French Academy decided to end the dispute by awarding a prize to the one who proves the truth. This prize was awarded to Louis Pasteur, who proved that if the broth is boiled for a long enough time and then tightly closed, stopping the access of air to it, then microorganisms will not develop in the broth. The objections of opponents that boiling kills the “reproductive force” necessary for spontaneous generation in the air above the liquid were also refuted by Pasteur. Boiled broth remains transparent for a long time (microorganisms do not develop) if the neck is curved so that dust, and with it microorganisms, settle on its walls. One has only to tilt the flask and slightly moisten the walls of the neck, and the development of microorganisms begins in the broth. Thus, Pasteur finally refuted the theory of spontaneous generation of microorganisms.

Pasteur drew the attention of scientists to the fact that the basis of many well-known processes, such as fermentation and decay, is the vital activity of microorganisms. Studying the processes of fermentation (lactic acid and butyric acid), Pasteur established that they are caused by microorganisms. He was the first to discover anaerobes - microbes that can live and reproduce without oxygen. These works of Pasteur were of great practical importance. Studying the diseases of wine and beer, their fermentation and souring caused by microorganisms, Pasteur proposed practical measures that could protect wine and beer from spoilage. Heating them at 60-70°C killed microbes, did not spoil the taste and protected them from souring. This method, called pasteurization, is widely used in the food industry today.

Pasteur's discovery, associated with proof of the role of microorganisms as the cause of various putrefactive processes, was important for the development of medicine and, in particular, surgery. It enabled the famous English surgeon Joseph Lister to propose a system of measures to protect wounds from the entry of microbes into them, and thereby protect the patient from the occurrence of various inflammatory processes. Lister proposed methods of antisepsis and asepsis, anti-putrefactive treatment of wounds using local application chemicals, as well as ways to destroy microbes in the environment.

Pasteur's achievements were especially great in the study of anthrax and rabies. Pasteur proved that rod-shaped bacteria found in the bodies of animals that died from anthrax are the causative agents of this disease. He proposed ways to combat anthrax by injecting healthy animals with a culture of anthrax bacilli, artificially weakened in the laboratory (anthrax vaccine). This vaccination made them immune to infection by anthrax microbes.

At the end of 1880, Pasteur visited a hospital where a child was dying of rabies in agony. This made a grave impression on the scientist. The search began for a remedy that could defeat the disease. For almost 5 years, Pasteur and his students Roux and Chamberlain were looking for a way to protect a person bitten by a rabid animal from getting sick.

Such a drug was a vaccine obtained from the brain of a rabbit containing a modified, fixed rabies virus (virus fixe - permanent, fixed poison), which, unlike the street (canine) virus, has lost its virulence for animals and humans. Pasteur managed to obtain a fixed rabies virus by repeatedly passing a street virus from a sick dog through the brain of a rabbit. The rabies vaccine was successfully tested on a 9-year-old boy who was bitten by a rabid dog, and then on 19 Russian peasants who arrived in Paris from Smolensk after being bitten by a rabid wolf.

Pasteur's work on creating immunity to infectious diseases The foundations of vaccine prevention were laid, giving brilliant results to this day.

The discovery of microorganisms, the study and proof of their role in human life gave rise to the need for systematization and classification. In the 18th century, the largest systematic scientist C. Linnaeus united all microorganisms into one group called “chaos”. At the end of the XVIII - mid-19th centuries, they were identified as a special group, different from animals and plants (Müller, 1786), but some microorganisms were classified as flora(Perty, 1852).

Cohn in 1854, based on the similarity of the external form, growth and reproduction of vibrios with lower algae, classified them into the group of lower plants (Schizophita). Nägeli established that microorganisms, like fungi, do not have chlorophyll and feed on decaying organic matter. Taking into account the method of their reproduction (Greek schizo - to split), he united them into a special group of mushroom fungi (Schizomycetes). This name - schizomycetes - is retained by the bacteria to this day.

Haeckel in 1866 proposed to unite the entire group of microorganisms under the collective name “protists” (Greek protistos - the very first). Both Kohn and Naegeli based their classification of microorganisms on the study of bacterial morphology. This led to the emergence of two directions in microbiology - monomorphism and pleomorphism.

Monomorphists, led by Cohn, believed that bacteria, like other organisms, have a constancy of form. No matter how the shape of a microbial cell changes during development, it always returns to its basic, typical one. Therefore, among bacteria it is possible to distinguish genera and species that do not transform into each other, having hereditarily fixed characteristics that are passed on from generation to generation. Pleomorphists, led by Naegeli, on the contrary, believed that bacteria have no constancy of form. It changes depending on environmental conditions: microbes can be either balls, or rods, or vibrios. Pleomorphists believed that the same microbe could cause an infectious disease or a fermentation process, depending on the conditions of existence. Some of them generally denied the independence of bacteria, considering them stages of the development of fungi. As it turned out later, much of the teaching of pleomorphists was caused by the imperfection of methods for cultivating bacteria on nutrient media. Polluting them various types microbes were taken to be different forms of the same microbe. As a result, monomorphists won, which played a positive role in the development of microbiology, as it made it possible to study the specific properties of microorganisms, including pathogenic ones that cause disease in humans and animals. Great importance The work of the German microbiologist Robert Koch was in this direction.

“Benefactor of humanity” is what the French government called biologist and chemist Louis Pasteur. The contribution of the French scientist can hardly be overestimated, because he proved the microbiological basis of the fermentation process and the emergence of a number of diseases, and came up with a way to combat pathogens - pasteurization and vaccination. Until today, the discoveries of the founder of immunology and microbiology save the lives of millions of people.

Childhood and youth

The future microbiologist was born in the city of Doyle (France) on September 18, 1822. Louis's father, Jean Pasteur, was noted for his participation in the Napoleonic Wars, and later opened a tannery. The head of the family was illiterate, but he tried to give his son a good education.

Louis successfully completed school, and then, with the support of his father, began studying at college. The boy was distinguished by his amazing diligence, which amazed his teachers. Pasteur believed that one must be persistent in one’s studies and, in correspondence with the sisters, pointed out that success mainly depends on work and the desire to learn.

After completing his college studies, Louis moved to Paris to attend the École Normale Supérieure. In 1843, a talented guy easily overcame entrance exams and four years later received a diploma from a prestigious educational institution.


At the same time, Pasteur devoted a lot of time to painting and achieved good results. The young artist was included in reference books as a great portrait painter of the 19th century. At the age of 15, Louis painted portraits of his mother, sisters and many friends. In 1840, Pasteur even received a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Biology

Despite his versatility, Louis Pasteur chose to focus exclusively on science. At the age of 26, the scientist became a professor of physics thanks to the discovery of the structure of tartaric acid crystals. However, studying organic matter, Louis realized that his true calling lay in the study not of physics, but of biology and chemistry.

Pasteur worked for some time at the Dijon Lyceum, but in 1848 he went to the University of Strasbourg. At his new job, the biologist began studying fermentation processes, which later brought him fame.


In 1854, the scientist took the position of dean at the University of Lille (Faculty of Natural Sciences), but did not stay there for long. Two years later, Louis Pasteur went to Paris to work at his alma mater, the Ecole Normale Supérieure, as director of educational work. In his new place, Pasteur carried out successful reforms, demonstrating brilliant administrative abilities. He introduced a strict examination system, which increased the level of knowledge of students and the prestige of the educational institution.

In parallel, the microbiologist continued to study tartaric acids. Having studied the wort using a microscope, Louis Pasteur discovered that the fermentation process is not of a chemical nature, as Justus von Liebig claimed. The scientist discovered that this process is associated with the life and activity of yeast fungi that feed and multiply in the fermenting liquid.

During 1860-1862, the microbiologist concentrated on studying the theory of spontaneous generation of microorganisms, which was followed by many researchers at that time. To do this, Pasteur took a nutrient mass, heated it to a temperature at which microorganisms died, and then placed it in a special flask with a “swan neck”.


As a result, no matter how long this vessel with the nutrient mass stood in the air, life did not arise in such conditions, since bacterial spores remained on the bends of the long neck. If the neck was broken off or the bends were rinsed with a liquid medium, then microorganisms soon began to multiply. Consequently, the French scientist refuted the dominant theory and proved that microbes cannot spontaneously generate and are always brought in from the outside. For this discovery, the French Academy of Sciences awarded Pasteur a special prize in 1862.

Pasteurization

The scientist’s breakthrough in scientific research was facilitated by the need to solve a practical problem. In 1864, winemakers turned to Pasteur with a request to help understand the reasons for the spoilage of wine. After studying the composition of the drink, a microbiologist discovered that it contained not only yeast, but also other microorganisms that led to spoilage of the product. Then the scientist thought about how to get rid of this problem. The researcher proposed heating the wort to 60 degrees, after which the microorganisms die.


Experiments of Louis Pasteur

The method of processing wort proposed by Pasteur began to be used in the production of beer and wine, as well as in other branches of the food industry. Today the technique described is called pasteurization, named after the discoverer.

The described discoveries brought fame to the French scientist, but personal tragedy did not allow Pasteur to calmly rejoice in his achievements. Three of the microbiologist's children died of typhoid fever. Under the influence of tragic events, the scientist began studying infectious diseases.

Vaccination

Louis Pasteur examined wounds, ulcers and ulcers, as a result of which he identified a number of infectious agents (for example, streptococcus and staphylococcus). The microbiologist also studied chicken cholera and tried to find a counteraction to this disease. The solution came to the famous professor by chance.


Louis Pasteur's vaccine saved the lives of many people

The scientist left the culture with cholera microbes in the thermostat and forgot about them. When the dried virus was injected into chickens, the birds did not die, but suffered a milder form of the disease. Pasteur then reinfected the chickens with fresh cultures of the virus, but the birds were not harmed. Based on these experiments, the scientist discovered a way to avoid a number of diseases: it is necessary to introduce weakened pathogenic microbes into the body.

This is how vaccination arose (from the Latin vacca - “cow”). The discoverer used this name in honor of the famous scientist Edward Jenner. The latter sought to prevent people from getting smallpox, so he transfused patients with the blood of cows infected with a form of smallpox that was harmless to humans.

An experiment with chickens helped a microbiologist create a vaccine to combat anthrax. The subsequent use of this vaccine saved the French government huge amounts of money. In addition, the new discovery provided Pasteur with membership in the Academy of Sciences and a lifelong pension.


In 1881, Pasteur witnessed the death of a girl from a rabid dog bite. Impressed by the tragedy, the scientist decided to create a vaccine against the deadly disease. But the microbiologist discovered that the rabies virus existed only in brain cells. The problem arose of obtaining a weakened form of the virus.

The scientist did not leave the laboratory for days and conducted experiments on rabbits. The microbiologist first infected the animals with rabies, and then dissected their brains. At the same time, Pasteur exposed himself mortal danger, collecting infected saliva from the mouths of rabbits. However, a talented scientist managed to obtain a rabies vaccine from a dried rabbit brain. Many are confident that this discovery was the main achievement of the outstanding microbiologist.


For some time, Louis Pasteur was hesitant to use the vaccine on people. But in 1885, the mother of 9-year-old Joseph Meister, who had been bitten by a rabid dog, came to him. The child had no chance to survive, so the vaccine was the last option for him. As a result, the boy survived, which testified to the effectiveness of Pasteur’s discovery. A little later, with the help of the vaccine, it was possible to save 16 people bitten by a rabid wolf. After this, the vaccine began to be routinely used to combat rabies.

Personal life

In 1848, Louis Pasteur began working at the University of Strasbourg. Soon the young scientist was invited to visit rector Laurent, where he met his boss’s daughter, Marie. A week later, the talented microbiologist wrote a letter to the rector in which he asked for the girl’s hand in marriage. Although Louis only interacted with Marie once, he had no doubt that he had made the right choice.


Pasteur honestly admitted to the father of his chosen one that he only had a kind heart and good health. As can be judged from the scientist’s photo, the man was not handsome, and Louis did not have wealth or advantageous relationships.

But the rector believed the French biologist and gave his consent. The young people got married on May 29, 1849. Subsequently, the couple lived together for 46 years. Marie became not just a wife for her husband, but her first assistant and reliable support. The couple had five children, three of them died from an epidemic of typhoid fever.

Death

Louis Pasteur suffered a stroke at the age of 45, after which he remained disabled. The scientist’s arm and leg did not move, but the man continued to work hard. In addition, the microbiologist was often in danger while conducting experiments, which made his family worry about his life.

The great scientist died on September 28, 1895 from complications after several strokes. At that time, Louis Pasteur was 72 years old. At first, the remains of the microbiologist rested in Notre-Dame de Paris, and then were transferred to the Pasteur Institute.


During his lifetime, the scientist received awards from almost all countries of the world (almost 200 orders). In 1892, the French government presented a medal specially for the microbiologist’s 70th birthday with the signature “Benefactor of Humanity.” In 1961, a crater on the Moon was named after Pasteur, and in 1995, a stamp with the scientist’s image was issued in Belgium.

Nowadays, more than 2 thousand streets in many countries of the world bear the name of the outstanding microbiologist: the USA, Argentina, Ukraine, Iran, Italy, Cambodia, etc. In St. Petersburg (Russia) there is the Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology named after. Pasteur.

Bibliography

  • Louis Pasteur. Etudes sur le Vin. – 1866.
  • Louis Pasteur. Etudes sur le Vinaigre. – 1868.
  • Louis Pasteur. Etudes sur la Maladie des Vers à Soie (2 volumes). – 1870.
  • Louis Pasteur. Quelques Réflexions sur la Science en France. – 1871.
  • Louis Pasteur. Etudes sur la Bière. – 1976.
  • Louis Pasteur. Les Microbes organisés, leur rôle dans la Fermentation, la Putréfaction et la Contagion. – 1878.
  • Louis Pasteur. Discours de Réception de M.L. Pasteur à l "Académie française. – 1882.
  • Louis Pasteur. Traitement de la Rage. – 1886.
Discoveries come only to those who are prepared to understand them.
(Louis Pasteur)
Pasteur, a French chemist and microbiologist, was the first to successfully use a vaccine against such terrible diseases as anthrax, cholera and rabies. With his work on fermentation, Pasteur saved beer, wine and silk producers in France and other countries; He also invented pasteurization.
Louis Pasteur was born on December 27, 1822. He was the son of a retired French soldier, the owner of a small tannery in the town of Dole. Pasteur successfully completed his studies, first at college in Arbois and then in Besançon. Having completed the course here with a bachelor's degree, he entered the École Normale Supérieure in 1843. Louis was particularly interested in chemistry and physics.
After graduating from school in 1847, Pasteur passed the exams for the title of associate professor of physical sciences. A year later he defended his doctoral dissertation. At that time, Pasteur had already gained fame for his research in the field of crystal structure. He discovered the reason for the unequal influence of a beam of polarized light on crystals of organic substances.

Also in 1848, Pasteur became an associate professor of physics in Dijon. Three months later he takes up a new position as associate professor of chemistry in Strasbourg. Pasteur took an active part in the revolution of 1848.
In 1854 he was appointed dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences in Lille. Pasteur noticed that asymmetric crystals were found in substances formed during fermentation. In 1857, Pasteur proved that fermentation is not a chemical process, as was commonly thought then, but a biological phenomenon that is the result of the vital activity of microscopic organisms - yeast fungi.
Pasteur discovered that there are organisms that can live without oxygen. They are called anaerobic. Their representatives are microbes that cause butyric acid fermentation. The proliferation of such microbes causes rancidity in wine and beer.
In 1857, Pasteur returned to Paris as vice-director of the École Normale Supérieure. In 1862 he was elected a member of the “institute” in the department of mineralogy, and a few years later the permanent secretary of the institute. In 1867-1876 he held the chair of chemistry at the Faculty of Paris.
In 1864 he began to study the issue of the occurrence of diseases in wines. The result of his research was a monograph in which Pasteur showed that wine diseases are caused by various microorganisms, and each disease has a specific pathogen. To destroy harmful “organized enzymes,” he suggested heating the wine at a temperature of 50-60 degrees. This method is called pasteurization.
In 1874, the Chamber of Deputies, in recognition of his outstanding services to his homeland, awarded him a lifelong pension of 12,000 francs, increased in 1883 to 26,000 francs. In 1881, Pasteur was elected to the French Academy.
Starting with the solution to the “diseases” of wine and beer, the scientist devoted his entire future life to the study of microorganisms and the search for means of combating pathogens of dangerous infectious diseases of animals and humans.
Pasteur's work revealed the fallacy of the view widespread in medicine of that time, according to which any disease arises either inside the body or under the influence of spoiled air ("miasma"). Pasteur showed that diseases that are called contagious can only arise as a result of infection, that is, the penetration of microbes into the body from the external environment.

In 1880, Pasteur found a method of preventing infectious diseases by introducing weakened pathogens, which turned out to be applicable to many infectious diseases.
But before the vaccination method received full recognition, Pasteur had to endure a difficult struggle. To prove the correctness of his discovery, Pasteur performed a massive public experiment in 1881. He injected several dozen sheep and cows with anthrax germs. Pasteur previously administered his vaccine to half of the experimental animals. On the second day, all unvaccinated animals died from anthrax, and all vaccinated animals did not get sick and remained alive. This experiment, which took place in front of numerous witnesses, was a triumph for the scientist.
Pasteur developed a method of vaccination against rabies, using in a special way the dried brains of rabbits infected with rabies. On July 6, 1885, he successfully tested the vaccine on humans for the first time.
In 1889, Pasteur resigned all responsibilities in order to devote himself to the organization and management of the institute named after him. The Royal Society of London awarded him two gold medals in 1856 and 1874; The French Academy of Sciences awarded him a prize for his work on the question of spontaneous generation.
In 1892, the seventieth anniversary of the scientist’s birth was solemnly celebrated, and on September 28, 1895, Pasteur died in Wildenef-Létan, near Paris.

"The French bacteriologist Louis Pasteur was researching a culture of smallpox bacteria in his laboratory. Suddenly a stranger appeared to him and introduced himself as the second of a nobleman, who thought that the scientist had insulted him. The nobleman demanded satisfaction. Pasteur listened to the messenger and said: “Since I am being summoned, I have the right choose a weapon. Here are two flasks; in one smallpox bacterium, in another - pure water. If the person who sent you agrees to drink one of them to choose from, I will drink the other." The duel did not take place."

Greetings to regular and new readers! Friends, this informative article contains basic information about the French microbiologist and chemist.

Everyone knows the word “pasteurization”. It is a process of controlled heat treatment of foods to kill bacteria and other microorganisms.

No housewife can do without pasteurization when canning vegetables and fruits at home.

Without this process, the food industry and winemakers around the world will not be able to operate. Thanks to the scientist’s discovery, it became possible to preserve food for a long time and save people from hunger.

Pasteurization is the amazing discovery of Louis Pasteur. We will talk about this man today.

Childhood and youth

Louis was born on December 27, 1822 (zodiac sign - Capricorn) in the city of Dole, in eastern France. Louis was the son of a tanner. The father dreamed of giving his son a decent education.

When Pasteur was 5 years old, his family moved to the city of Arbois, 437 kilometers from Paris. Here his father opened a leather workshop, and Pasteur Jr. began his studies at college.

In his studies, the boy was distinguished by perseverance and diligence, surprising all teachers. After graduating from college, Louis worked as a junior teacher in Besançon.

Then he moved to Paris to enter the Ecole Normale Supérieure. In 1843, he easily passed the entrance exams and, four years later, received a diploma. Many years later, Louis will become the academic director of this prestigious school.

Bachelor of Arts

The young man was talented in painting. As a teenager, he painted wonderful portraits of his mother, sisters and friends. For his results in painting, Pasteur received a Bachelor of Arts degree, his name was included in reference books as a great portrait painter of the 19th century. But the young man made a firm decision to devote himself to science.

Scientific discoveries (briefly)

  • 1846 - The structure of tartaric acid crystals was discovered.
  • 1861 – A method of preserving liquid products by heat treatment was discovered. Hereafter called pasteurization.
  • 1865 – Found effective methods control of silkworm diseases. Sericulture saved!
  • 1876 ​​– Immunology. In the process of researching infectious diseases, he established that diseases are caused by pathogens of a certain kind.
  • 1881 – Vaccine against anthrax developed
  • 1885 – Rabies vaccine.

Personal life

In 1848, the young scientist began working at the University of Strasbourg. Here he studied fermentation processes, which later brought him worldwide fame.

One day, while visiting the rector, he met his daughter, Marie. A week later, Louis, in a written appeal to the rector, asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage. The happy young man received consent. A year later, Louis and Marie Lauren got married and lived for 46 long years.


A loving wife was an assistant and reliable support for her husband. The couple had five children. But, unfortunately, the lives of three were taken by typhoid fever. These personal tragedies will force the scientist to search for a cure against contagious infections. And many years later he will discover a life-saving vaccine! The scientist was a sincerely believing Catholic.

Illness and death

In the prime of his life (45 years old), the scientist became disabled. After the stroke, his arm and leg did not move, but the microbiologist continued to work hard. Over the next 27 years, he suffered a series of strokes. The brilliant scientist died of uremia. This happened in September 1895. He was 72 years old.

Louis Pasteur was buried in Notre-Dame de Paris. Later his remains were transferred to the Pasteur Institute. More than 2,000 streets in cities around the world are named after him.

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