Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Finally, Pasteur (3)

****

Experiment completed in two days.

The two swan-neck flasks were covered with a black cloth to prevent spoilers. I don’t even know what’s inside them.

“Hello.”

As usual, students who came for the lecture stared at me. The classroom was unusually full today, and I could see some graduate students in the crowd.

Did word get out we’re doing an experiment today?

Still, lucky there aren’t other professors around. I walked to the center of the classroom. The room suddenly grew silent.

“To be honest, I haven’t opened them yet myself.”

Should I keep them in suspense longer? This isn’t a variety show after all. I turned my back and removed the cloth covering the two swan-neck flasks…

“Ah.”

I kind of expected this result.

Exactly as we discussed. There’s no reason it would differ from Pasteur’s conclusion since we replicated the experiment almost perfectly.

The open swan-neck flask had some mold growing and wriggling maggots. Meanwhile, the one sealed with water showed no significant changes.

After a brief silence,

Sighs echoed throughout the classroom.

“So, we have our conclusion, right?”

Murmurs. Some random questions were shouted out (probably from a scout graduate student), hands were raised, and some students whispered among themselves.

Anyway, the conclusion is one:

I was right. Again.

Since there are too many questions to answer immediately, I returned to the podium and made eye contact with Istina. As usual, she wore a triumphant expression since the experiment succeeded.

“Anyone have questions?”

There were plenty.

****

Murmurs.

“Professor, do you think this completely refutes the miasma theory?”

“Is the substance causing decay the same element that causes disease?”

“Could the water sealing the swan-neck flask have prevented miasma from passing through? Was that possibility considered?”

“What’s your main argument going to be for the paper?”

Headache.

“Aren’t you guys undergraduates?”

Isn’t it obvious? It’s normal for undergrads to not know anything. These question-throwing people couldn’t possibly be undergraduates. They might be spies sent from other labs.

“Croftler Professor’s master’s student, Anne.”

Anne, introducing herself with just that one sentence, dominated the far side of the classroom.

This brat (me) came to fight me (myself), didn’t she? And it seems the students respect her declaration of war.

“Spy, huh.”

“What’s a spy?”

“Just finish your question.”

Anne cleared her throat a bit.

“Uh, yes. Professor, do you completely refute the miasma theory based on this experiment? Could gases still be responsible?”

Perfect. Scientists shouldn’t use the word ‘perfect.’ It implies potential traps. There’s no perfection in science, and no theory is unrefutable.

“I don’t think gases are responsible. Saying the miasma theory is entirely wrong isn’t what I mean. Bad air can cause diseases too. The problem is what’s inside that bad air. I believe microscopic particles in the air are the issue.”

Anne nodded.

“Hold on. Are these microscopic particles you mention so small and fine that they can only be proven indirectly?”

“Yeah. If you mean magnifying the air, I’d say it’ll remain impossible for the time being.”

Unless electron microscopes come around.

Anne looked at me as if expecting this. Of course, I anticipated this counterargument fully and prepared a perfect rebuttal.

Just wait a moment, Anne.

“Professor, how big exactly do you estimate these microscopic particles to be?”

E. coli size is about one micrometer.

Very tiny indeed.

“Much smaller than a strand of hair.”

“The most advanced equipment can’t observe them directly, correct?”

I nodded.

“It’s realistically difficult without a cultivation process. Once cultivated, bacterial colonies become manageable enough to observe or stain.”

Even though this grad student is arguing with me, they’re better than those who merely gawk in amazement.

This is also a chance to consider what’s needed to persuade skeptics. Since the thought processes of opposition groups aren’t scientifically analyzable, it’s important to observe carefully now.

“Professor’s theory still fails to overcome its original flaws. Claiming unseen microscopic particles in modern equipment cause diseases creates complexity and an unprovable proposition compared to the miasma theory.”

Occam’s Razor.

When multiple hypotheses explain a phenomenon, the simplest explanation should take precedence.

It’s simpler to assume the air itself is the problem rather than having invisible particles floating in it.

At first glance, this seems logically correct. Only logically though. After all, airborne microscopic particles do exist as observable phenomena.

“Miss Anne, isn’t it proven that gases dissolve into and emerge from water, penetrating water barriers? The experimental group was exposed to ‘miasma’ but not to microscopic particles, right?”

Anne pondered this statement.

“That’s true.”

“Istina, do you know a way to experimentally verify the doubt Miss Anne raised?”

“Uh, no?”

Don’t worry. I know.

Thinking I just copied Pasteur’s paper would be a mistake. I anticipated all these rebuttals before coming to class today.

“Miss Anne, come up to the front please. If there are microscopic particles in the air, naturally there must be a process of them spreading through the air, right?”

“What… yeah?”

Another victory for me. I pointed to the microscope sitting in a corner of the classroom.

“Go take a look, Miss Anne. Can you explain to everyone what you see through the microscope?”

Anne aligned her eye with the eyepiece of the microscope.

“Ah.”

****

Bacteria are actually hard to see.

To observe bacterial structure, you need at least a 1000x microscope. Ours is barely a few hundred times magnification.

We can barely confirm the existence of bacteria; determining their characteristics is impossible.

However,

Fungal hyphae or molds are different stories. Even with our current equipment, we can determine the fine structures of molds.

Do you happen to know what molds are?

Spores – the organs of fungi that spread decay-inducing microscopic particles. If Anne understands this, all controversies will end.

Evidence of decay is mold. We’ve experimentally verified that samples exposed to airborne particles undergo decay, and that mold spreads decay-inducing particles.

All objections seem to have been refuted.

“Uh, I see some tiny plant-like structures…”

Ah. Anne seemed to realize something and covered her mouth. She must have understood by now.

“Do you see it?”

“Yeah, it’s really there… Is this a mold sample? Are these fine structures the organs that spread mold spores -”

Correct.

At least she understands quickly.

“Fine structures of mold. Organs to spread spores, or in other words, decay-inducing particles. Are you seeing the fine structures meant to spread these particles in the air?”

Airborne bacteria are hard to see. However, fungal spores are several times larger than bacteria and can be observed with our crude microscopes.

“What is this… wow.”

“Is deductive proof sufficient?”

“You’re right, Professor.”

Anne nodded at this statement.

“Let me summarize. Evidence of decay is mold. As you just saw, mold has structures that spread particles in the air. We’ve also confirmed that blocking airborne particles prevents the decay process.”

The classroom fell deathly silent. Only the sounds of pens and paper rustling could be heard.

“That’s all. Any more questions?”

None.

“In that case, class is dismissed.”

****

The Imperial Princess, Mint, flipped through a letter addressed to her. Normally, dozens of letters arrive daily – greetings, requests, or questions.

Lately, letters asking about that person have increased. Didn’t Asterix say some scholar claimed medicine is politics? Though I don’t remember the conversation.

The empire’s rulers seem greatly interested in the paradigm shift in medicine.

The Lord of Lapis (regent) has been enthusiastically boasting. Freedom from the terror of epidemic dysentery became quite an interesting topic among imperial nobles.

To ordinary people, it was the fear of death. To the upper class, merely an interesting conversational piece. Still, the effort to understand and solve problems deserves recognition.

Hmm… Perhaps I should have kept him here in the palace after all. At this rate, Asterix’s value might skyrocket uncontrollably.

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