The Story of Louis Pasteur

A pioneering chemist who popularizes germ theory and champions sterilization and hand-washing to prevent disease. He endures dismissal by France's medical academy and is labeled a crank, facing opposition led by Charbonnet. He correctly predicts that a member of Napoleon III's royal family will die of puerperal fever, fueling controversy and sending him to Arbois. In the 1870s, he leads the development of vaccines against anthrax and pursues rabies research, earning grudging respect from some previously skeptical doctors.

Pasteur's wife provides steady support through the storms of controversy. She suggests that a sample may have weakened with age, an insight that influences the interpretation of competing results. She remains a supportive partner as he moves from Paris to Arbois and faces public skepticism.

Pasteur's daughter who shares in the family's scientific hopes. She becomes engaged to Dr. Martel, linking personal stakes with scientific progress. Her presence underscores the human cost and emotional dimension of the pursuit of cures.

The young boy bitten by a rabid dog who becomes central to Pasteur's rabies work. His condition drives the urgency of Pasteur's experimental treatment, despite the risk of illegal practice. His survival becomes a turning point that validates Pasteur's approach.

Pasteur's main antagonist, a skeptical physician who dismisses new ideas as witchcraft. He opposes sterilization and clings to established methods, posing a constant challenge to Pasteur's work. He eventually concedes after Pasteur's successes, symbolizing a shift in medical opinion.

Pioneer of antiseptic surgery who attends Pasteur's experiments and recognizes their value. He publicly praises Pasteur and honors his work, helping to bridge the gap between Pasteur and a skeptical medical community.

A young doctor who shifts from Charbonnet's camp to Pasteur's side. He becomes engaged to Annette, illustrating how personal and professional loyalties intertwine as science advances.

A Russian physician arriving with groups exposed to rabies, who volunteers to receive Pasteur's treatment. His participation broadens the scope of Pasteur's experiments and strengthens the case for vaccination.

The Emperor who initially opposes Pasteur, reflecting the political risks faced by scientific reformers in state circles.

A symbol of the imperial era, present in the circle of power as Pasteur's work challenges traditional trust in established medicine.

A political figure of the era who interacts with the medical debates around Pasteur's reforms and discoveries.

A doctor who embodies the medical establishment's cautious stance and skepticism toward Pasteur's methods.

A colleague of Pasteur who collaborates in his research, reflecting the collaborative nature of scientific progress.

A physician in the cast who represents the broader medical community's involvement in Pasteur's era.

Another physician involved in the era's debates and experiments surrounding Pasteur's discoveries.

Mother of Joseph Meister, whose concern and hope intersect with the ethical stakes of experimental rabies treatment.