episode_0028

Episode 28. Finally Pasteur (4)

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The academic world was turned upside down. Even before the aftermath of the cholera paper had subsided, or, in fact, even before the aftermath of the microscopy paper had subsided.

If you flip it twice, it will be restored to its original state, right? No. Since this is the third time, it would be completely safe to say that it has been flipped over.

The medical community has been hit three times in a row.

In just a month or so. And this time, it wasn’t even a proper thesis.

The incident began with Anne, a graduate student who had gone to spy on Professor Asterix’s novel as usual. Anne was lost in thought.

bang!

The door to Professor Kropelter’s lab opened. Anne, a sweaty graduate student, burst through the door and came in.

“Professor!”

“What’s going on? Did someone die?”

Since she had come in so hastily, it was not unreasonable for Professor Kropelter to think so. However, Anne shook her head vigorously.

“That, the miasma theory, was completely disproved in this class!”

“Mr. Ann. What do you mean?”

That didn’t make any sense.

Suddenly, in the middle of an undergraduate class, something was said that disproved one of the pillars of modern medicine. Professor Kropelter scratched his head.

“That, the bean sprout head on the mold stem-”

“Calm down and explain slowly.”

Anne was breathing hard.

“Professor Asterix has been attacking the miasma theory ever since he took office, right?”

“That’s right.”

He continued to attack as if he had a grudge against the miasma theory. As soon as he arrived, he started attacking without resting a single day, saying things like he had found the particles that cause the plague, and that the cause of the epidemic dysentery was the fine particles in the water.

Even using undergraduate class hours.

“This time, I think you’ve come up with a complete refutation. I put the meat broth in two flasks after boiling, and I blocked the hole in one with water and left the other open, and of course, only the open one got spoiled. ”

“Interesting, but I don’t know if it’s confirmed.”

“That’s not the problem, what happens after that is the problem. I looked at the mold under a microscope and there was a structure there for spreading spores.”

Professor Kropelter frowned.

“Spores?”

“Particles are the reproductive units of fungi.”

It is a scientific consensus that mold occurs naturally in old food or as a reaction to miasma.

There were also many opinions that did not consider fungi to be living organisms. Another traditional assumption was under attack.

This time, in a verifiable way.

“The existence of particles that cause corruption is proven, and the process by which they spread through the air is perfectly explained… … . End of controversy.”

Professor Kropelter thought about it for a while.

“So, Professor Asterix just observed the plague particles that he was singing about in his undergraduate class, and even presented evidence that they were floating in the air?”

The bottom line is that that’s right.

Anne nodded vigorously.

“Yeah, I see. I figured it out.”

Professor Kropelter was not one to ignore evidence. If he were presented with complete evidence, he might reconsider his thoughts.

Why? Why on earth are you making a fuss about refuting the mainstay of modern medicine while you’re teaching an undergraduate class? No matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t make sense.

Are you crazy?

“No, who would do something like that? Isn’t it more likely that they are fooling undergraduates by using gimmicks to teach strange things?”

“Oh, I saw the process of conducting the swan neck flask experiment. Even the enlarged image of the mold is not something that can be manipulated at all.”

Anne thought about it, but she can’t think of any loopholes. What could be manipulated? Was there a way to manipulate the swan-necked flask? After all, mold spores are not something that can be manipulated.

“I guess so.”

“I can’t think of any counterarguments.”

“Ann. Do you really think there is no objection? Should we go over there too?”

Anne nodded. Professor Kropelter placed his hand on his forehead and began to ponder.

The cause of decay is mold. To be precise, mold is one of the causes of decay.

Microscopic structures have been discovered in moulds that disperse particles into the air, and experiments have shown that blocking the movement of particles in a boiled, sterilised solution can prevent spoilage.

It’s virtually a perfect refutation.

I’ll have to see the results published in the journal, but if what Anne says is true, the conference president will be in trouble again.

“By the way, Anne. You worked hard today.”

“Thank you.”

Professor Kropelter took out a pen and paper.

– About the microscopic structure of mold.

– Professor Fischer. It is said that in Professor Asterix’s undergraduate class this time, the microscopic structure of mold was identified under a microscope.

– They claim to have discovered a structure that disperses seed-like particles into the air. They even hypothesize that these are the particles that cause disease, inflammation, and decay.

– Professor Fischer, have you ever seen anything similar? It seems like such an unfamiliar hypothesis that it would be difficult to believe it easily.

****

Princess Mint was sitting in my study again today. This time, not at my seat, but on the sofa.

“Hey.”

“It’s you again- Oh, that’s not it. I’m sorry. I’m meeting your noble princess.”

“Yeah.”

Today, she was dressed in her normal academy uniform. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail and she was wearing a cardigan over a white shirt.

The uniform skirt wasn’t short, but her legs were somewhat visible because she was sitting with her legs crossed. She didn’t seem to be bothered to tie her tie, so she just hung it on her collar as if she had caught a snake.

In fact, the most striking thing was the tie.

“You should at least tie a tie. You look like a bad student.”

“Oh, really?”

Mint tied his tie hurriedly.

“So. What brings you here today?”

“Tell me how to study.”

“I’m sorry, but how can I teach a class I’ve never heard of in my life?”

“Can’t you do it?”

It seems a bit difficult.

“It’s a good opportunity to become a national teacher. You should be a tutor. The subject is something you can study, it’s not that it’s very difficult. The teacher is smart.”

I don’t know what the princess thinks of me. She treats me like a guard dog.

Sometimes they ask with a worried expression if this is a serious illness (usually a cold). Other times, they expect that any problem will be solved… … It’s like that.

However, I can’t solve all your problems. I’m busy too.

“No, Your Majesty. I’m busy.”

“So. You’re not going to do it?”

“Yes.”

“. That’s too bad.”

“Princess. I’m sorry to say this, but when do you plan on leaving the lab?”

“Teacher, this is the problem. Every time I see you, ‘When are you leaving, Princess?’, ‘Princess, go quickly.’ No, when you meet your lord, you should ask after his well-being as a subject and act friendly. ”

Every time I try to make small talk, you nag me and tell me not to talk nonsense. I want to do what you want, but I don’t know what to do.

“Your Highness, how was your class today?”

“That’s nonsense.”

Are you trying to make me laugh like this, right now?

“If you want to negotiate, be a superior and state what you want and what you consider the price.”

“I won’t leave the lab until the teacher says to do it.”

No, this is just a ploy.

I met Mint’s eyes. At first glance, it was the gaze of a very leisurely person… … . There was a will to win in his eyes.

“The princess is not a child.”

“What are you going to do? I’ll give you a generous tuition.”

“Isn’t that basically a friend fee… … .”

“What is friend fee?”

I kept my mouth shut.

I don’t think explaining it will lead to good results. I do scratch the mint bucket every time I see it, but it’s a bit much to really make it feel bad.

There’s also the problem that it seems like I’m bullying the kid. I sighed, pretending I couldn’t win.

“Okay. I’ll make sure we study together starting next week, so see you next time.”

“Did you eat dinner?”

“Ate.”

“Can’t I eat it again?”

“I don’t like that.”

Everything is fine, but I have to get to work soon. I grabbed Mint’s sleeve and dragged her out of her seat. The princess looked up at me with a pouty expression.

I gently pushed the princess out of the lab with the book I was holding. Princess Mint eventually left the lab, mumbling something.

But he acts relatively normally to other people, so I don’t know why he acts like a spoiled brat or something like that to me.

****

Meanwhile, in the hallway in front of the Asterix lab.

Princess Mint looked down at the girl who was sitting on the floor, flipping through papers while holding her head in her hands… Istina raised her head.

“Hi, hello, Princess.”

“Do you like the floor?”

“Yes, I’m on the floor- Oh, no.”

“But why are you doing that?”

I didn’t swallow the words, “It’s because of you, Princess.” Istina was not the kind of person to say such things or to contemplate saying such things.

The princess looked at her with a strange look and left the study room and the poor child sitting on the floor. Istina hurriedly gathered up her luggage that had been spread out on the floor.

It’s sad, it’s sad. It seems like they’re talking about something important. If I interrupt them while they’re playing, the princess will probably get in trouble, and if I don’t go to the lab regularly, the professor will get in trouble.