The Story of Louis Pasteur

In 1860 Paris, Louis Pasteur publicly argues that microbes cause disease and that doctors should wash their hands and sterilize their instruments. His warnings are met with hostility from the medical academy, who dismiss him as a crank. He even predicts that a member of Napoleon III's royal family will die from puerperal fever, which heightens the controversy surrounding his ideas.

Pasteur faces continued opposition from the academy and Charbonnet, who brand his ideas as witchcraft. The backlash convinces him that he must leave Paris to pursue his work more freely. He relocates to Arbois to continue his research away from the capital's scrutiny.

In the 1870s, as France seeks to rebuild after war, the government learns that sheep near Arbois remain free of anthrax while others die. Pasteur forms a small, loyal team and begins laying the groundwork for an anthrax vaccine. The project anchors itself in Arbois, far from Paris’s critics.

Pasteur vaccinates 25 newly arrived sheep and leaves another 25 as controls, using blood from an infected sheep for the challenge. The vaccinated sheep stay healthy while the controls die, showcasing the vaccine's promise. Joseph Lister attends the demonstration, signaling international interest.

Jean Martel, once Charbonnet's assistant but now aligned with Pasteur, becomes engaged to Pasteur's daughter Annette. The personal side of Pasteur's life strengthens as science and family ties intertwine. The engagement occurs amid the ongoing research in Arbois.

A rabid dog runs through the town, biting a man and sparking fear. A woman attempts to cure him with witchcraft, illustrating the town's desperation and superstition. Pasteur laments that doctors lack reliable remedies for rabies at this early stage of his work.

Moving back to Paris, Pasteur pivots to rabies as his next frontier. He conducts experiments to understand transmission, attempting to pass the disease from one animal to another, though microbes had not yet been identified. The work marks a high-stakes leap in his career.

Charbonnet visits the lab and injects himself with rabies, believing himself immune due to an old sample. Pasteur is puzzled by the apparent success and the contradiction it poses for his theory, spurring him to refine the experimental approach. The moment underscores the intense rivalry between the two men.

A frantic mother begs Pasteur to try his untested treatment on her rabies-bitten son. Despite fears of practicing without a license, Pasteur decides to proceed, driven by a sense of responsibility to save the child. The decision marks a pivotal turn in experimental therapy for rabies.

Dr. Zaranoff arrives from Russia with a group of peasants exposed to rabies who volunteer to receive Pasteur's treatment. The Russian cohort expands the scope of Pasteur's work beyond a single patient and adds international momentum to the effort. The collaboration symbolizes a turning point in the acceptance of his methods.

As trials continue, Annette goes into labor but a doctor is unavailable. Pasteur begs Charbonnet to wash his hands and sterilize, and Charbonnet agrees only if Pasteur retracts and denounces his rabies work after a month. The birth proceeds under tense conditions, highlighting the personal costs of scientific risk.

The stressful period takes its toll when Pasteur experiences a mild stroke during the ongoing experiments. Despite the setback, he shows resilience and continues the work with the Russians. The episode underscores the human cost of scientific progress.

Pasteur proceeds with the Russian patients in a hospital setting, using a wheelchair and later a cane as he administers the early injections. The initial results are positive, validating his approach and boosting confidence among the medical community. The success marks a meaningful milestone in the rabies campaign.

Charbonnet tears up his earlier retraction and requests to be vaccinated himself in a dramatic turn of events. The reversal signals a broader acceptance of Pasteur's methods among even his fiercest critics. The moment cements Pasteur's vindication in the eyes of some skeptics.

Lister publicly praises Pasteur, countering earlier opposition from the academy. Zaranoff presents a Russian medal, and doctors begin to honor Pasteur for his pioneering work. The film closes on a note of recognition and international regard for Pasteur's contributions.