Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 639 Beware of the Numerous Isolated Cases! (A long chapter of 10,000 words, please vote!)
The news that Jules Rochelle had drunk the well water became the headline of almost every newspaper the next morning.

Among them, the report in Le Gaul was the most sensational and the most "positive": "A heroic act of defending science with one's life."

Professor Rochelle risked his precious life to prove a medical truth:
Cholera is spread through miasma, not water.

What kind of spirit of sacrifice is this? What kind of scientific courage is this?
Professor Rochelle chose to stand in the sunlight, using the most direct and fearless method to test the truth.

According to the theory of miasma, he only drank a glass of water and did not inhale any "dirty air," so he should be safe.

But we know that, regardless of the outcome, Professor Rochelle has earned the respect of all Parisians!

The Gauls newspaper sparked a tremendous reaction, with people holding up the paper and discussing it excitedly:

"Professor Rochelle really drank it?"

"I drank it! My neighbor's nephew was there and saw it with his own eyes!"

"My God, that's cholera well water!"

"Professor Rochelle said that cholera is not transmitted through water, so it's fine."

"But what if..."

"There's no chance of anything going wrong! Professor Rochelle is a medical authority; the fact that he dared to drink it proves he's confident!"

In the salons on Boulevard Saint-Germain, the ladies were also talking:

"Professor Rochelle is so brave."

“That’s a real scientist. Sorel is good, but he’s just a writer, and he’s so young.”

“I heard that his methods were completely ineffective, and the workers were still dying and cholera was still spreading.”

"Of course it's useless. Bloodletting and enemas have been used for two thousand years, how could they be wrong?"

"What you said makes me want to get an enema right now."

"Really? Let me help you prepare the enema solution."

"I want more milk, preferably with a little Bordeaux."

------------

The debate continues, but public opinion is beginning to tilt.

Following *Le Gaul*, came *Le Temps*, *Le Figaro*, *Le Debates*, and so on...

Almost all elite newspapers began to follow up with reports, praising Rochelle's "spirit of sacrifice".

The Age called Jules Rochelle a "true hero"—

In this era of sensationalism, some people risk their lives for a show, while others risk their lives to defend the truth.

Sorel entered the apartment and was greeted with hymns of praise; Professor Rochelle drank the well water, risking his health and reputation.

The former is a performance, the latter is dedication. We urge the people of Paris to see the difference between the two!

Who is the true hero? The answer is self-evident.

Le Figaro published interviews with other professors at the Paris Medical School.

Professor Emil de Kener said, "Rochelle's actions were one of the bravest acts in the history of medicine. He proved with his actions that true scientists dare to test theories with their lives."

Professor Ferdinand Delaunay said, "Drinking this glass of water washes away the blind faith in the 'bacterial theory' and gives rise to a firm belief in two thousand years of medical tradition."

Even some previously neutral newspapers have begun to shift their stance.

The newspaper published an article on page two entitled: "We need more Rochelles and fewer Sorels."

Paris is experiencing a cholera epidemic, and also an ideological plague.

The so-called "bacterial theory," like cholera, spread in Paris, causing people to lose faith in medicine and patients to refuse treatment.

Professor Rochelle proved in the most direct way that traditional medicine is not wrong; the wrong ones are those who question it.

We need more doctors like Professor Rorschach who defend science with courage and dedication;
We need fewer laymen like Mr. Sorel who disrupt order with their fantasies and theatrics.

Only popular newspapers like Le Parisien, Le Citizen, and Libération still spoke up for Lionel.

Lionel, who lived at 17 Rue de Arles, was unaware of all this.

It wasn't just because he couldn't buy a newspaper, but also because he was too busy.

------------------

Inside 17 Rue de Arles, time seems to flow at a different pace.

Since five assistants from the Pasteur Laboratory moved into the apartment, operations here have entered a new phase.

The lead assistant was André Michaux, Pasteur's most outstanding student, who led his colleagues into a working state in no time.

From that day on, the apartment's hygiene management entered a more "scientific" stage.

Every morning at six o'clock, they would examine all drinking water samples under a microscope to check for "Asian cholera spirochetes".

Then, we collected excrement samples from patients on each floor, numbered them, recorded the time, patient's name, and severity of symptoms.

After collecting the samples, they returned to the temporary laboratory—an empty storage room—to cultivate and observe them.

In the afternoon, they continued their work while also overseeing public health in the area.

André Michaux also designed a disinfection process that was even more stringent than that of Lionel.

All patients' excrement must be collected in covered wooden buckets, with a layer of quicklime laid inside beforehand.

After collecting, add quicklime and stir, let stand for two hours, and then bury it in a deep pit in the backyard.

All tableware must be boiled in boiling water for ten minutes; patients' bed sheets and clothing must be soaked in bleach solution and then dried.

Everyone, regardless of health, must wash their hands with soap multiple times a day: before meals, after using the toilet, and before bed.

Ms. Bert became the strictest supervisor, going door to door to check and loudly reprimanding anyone who didn't wash their hands with soap.

"Wash your hands if you want to live! Keep being dirty if you don't want to live!"

The children were afraid of her, but the adults respected her. Gradually, washing hands became a habit in the apartment.

With ample supplies, the apartment was well-organized, and patients gradually recovered.

Jeanne, who lives on the third floor, used to be so dehydrated from diarrhea that she was as thin as a skeleton. Now she can sit and eat bread, and her face is starting to have color back.

Marcel, who was on the fifth floor, had been in a coma for two days, but he has now woken up. Although he is still very weak, he can get out of bed and walk.

……

From now on, the people here will no longer be afraid to fall asleep.

----------

Outside the apartment, however, the focus on this cholera outbreak has extended beyond French borders.

In Munich, Germany, 66-year-old hygiene authority Max von Pettenkofer holds a newspaper, his brow furrowed.

He was a staunch believer in the "miasma theory," firmly believing that cholera was the result of the combined effects of soil, climate, and air, and had nothing to do with microorganisms.

In 1883, Robert Koch brought back “Asian cholera spirochete” from Egypt, claiming to have discovered the pathogen of cholera.

But Pettenkofer scoffed at this: "Bacteria? If bacteria can cause cholera, then I should get sick if I drink it!"

Now, when he sees reports about Jules Rochelle in French newspapers, his eyes light up.

The following day, the Süddeutsche Zeitung published Pettenkofer's article: "A Tribute to the Warriors of Paris".

Recently, Professor Jules Rochelle of the Paris Medical School made one of the bravest moves in medical history:
He drank well water from a cholera-stricken area, using his own life to test whether the "bacterial theory" or the "miasma theory" was right or wrong.

This act deserves the respect of all true scientists.

……

I call on the German medical community to unite in support of Professor Rochelle and in support of genuine science.

The miasma theory has served humanity for two thousand years and will not be overturned by a few petri dishes.

Pettenkofer's article caused a huge stir in Germany, where the mainstream of the medical community already believed in the miasma theory.

While Koch's discovery was important, many professors considered it merely an "interesting observation" and insufficient to overturn traditional theories.

Major German newspapers also reported on it, and in no time, Jules Rochelle's name spread throughout the German-speaking world.

------------

In the office at 10 Downing Street, London, the Home Secretary has two documents laid out in front of him:

One copy came from the embassy in Paris, and the other from the Imperial Ministry of Public Health.

The former describes the cholera situation in Paris in detail, while the latter analyzes the epidemic prevention measures in Paris.
The British were very concerned about the Paris cholera outbreak, and all travelers from France were required to undergo checks before entering the country.

Lionel cited the case of the British physician John Snow, which gave the British a subtle sense of superiority—

Look, the problems that the French are still debating, we British solved 35 years ago.

However, the mainstream of the British medical community still believes that "ambient air is a carrier of cholera," even though John Snow's measures were very effective.

After careful consideration, the Home Secretary decided to notify all newspapers not to reprint Pasteur's paper, not even excerpts.

He worried that Pasteur's discovery and Sorel's actions would exacerbate divisions within the empire and affect government policy-making.

In particular, Sorel's reputation among the British public is already troublesome enough, and we cannot allow him to expand his influence any further.

He is now in the cholera-stricken area of ​​Paris. If he dies, he may become a martyr; if he lives, he may become a hero.

The story of "Jules Rochelle drinking well water" can be reported with a neutral attitude, neither praising nor criticizing.

If Jules Rochelle successfully proves the "miasma theory," then it can be widely reported and Sorel can be severely punished.

That way, those poor Londoners won't be constantly longing for "Mr. James Bond".

------------

February 22, early morning, Jules Rochelle's villa in the 2th arrondissement of Paris.

Rochelle lay in bed, pale-faced. His wife, Claire, sat beside him, holding his hand, her eyes red and swollen.

He started having diarrhea in the middle of the night last night, and it got worse and worse; by 3 a.m., he started vomiting violently.

His wife wanted to call a doctor, but Rochelle stopped her: "No need, it's caused by unclean well water, but not cholera."

But by morning, his condition had worsened.

The diarrhea was watery, occurring three or four times an hour; vomiting also became more frequent, even when the stomach was empty.

He began to show typical signs of dehydration: his skin started to lose elasticity, his eyes became sunken, and his lips cracked.

Claire could no longer contain herself. She rushed out of the bedroom and said to the servant, "Quickly, fetch Dr. DuPont! Hurry!"

Dr. DuPont was a friend of Rochelle and a professor at the Paris Medical School. He lived nearby and arrived quickly.

Upon seeing Rochelle's appearance, Dr. DuPont's expression changed.

“Jules, you…” Dr. DuPont didn’t finish his sentence, but the worry in his eyes was obvious.

Rochelle shook his head: "It's not cholera. It's just ordinary gastroenteritis."

Dr. DuPont quickly examined the symptoms: watery diarrhea, severe vomiting, and dehydration—it looked very much like cholera.

He didn't say it aloud. He took Rochelle's temperature, listened to her heartbeat, and then said to Claire, "I need to treat Jules, but I need your permission."

Claire nodded quickly: "Yes, of course I agree. Please get treatment quickly."

Dr. DuPont opened his medicine kit. He took out a bleeding knife, tourniquet, enema kit, and laxatives—standard equipment for treating cholera.

But as he prepared to bleed Roshal, Roshal opened his eyes: "What...what are you going to do?"

"I need to bleed you, Jules. You have too much heat toxin in your body, and you need to clear it out with bloodletting."

“No.” Roshal hurriedly shook his head. “No need to bleed me. Just give me some salt water.”

Dr. DuPont was stunned: "Saline solution? That's Sorel's method! That's a crooked and unorthodox approach!"

“I know,” Roshal gasped, “but I don’t want to bleed right now. It’s too painful.”

Dr. DuPont looked at Rochelle, then at Claire. Claire cried, "Listen to him, Dr. DuPont. Listen to him."

Dr. DuPont sighed and put away the scalpel: "Alright. But the enema is necessary. There are toxins in your intestines that need to be expelled."

He instructed his assistant to prepare an enema kit. A long tube connected to a large funnel filled with soapy water mixed with mercuric iodide.

When Roshal saw the enema kit, his face turned even paler: "This... isn't necessary either."

"Jules!" Dr. DuPont exclaimed urgently, "You are the patient now! I am the doctor! You have to listen to me!"

“I am a patient, but I am also a doctor,” Rochelle insisted. “I know what I am doing. I don’t need an enema.”

"Then what do you need? Salt water? What's that for?"

“Salt water… can replenish fluids.” Rochelle’s voice grew weaker and weaker. “I’m dehydrated… I need water…”

Dr. DuPont was going crazy. A cholera patient, refusing bloodletting, refusing enemas, only wanting to drink saline solution?
If word got out, where would the Paris Medical School look? But Rochelle was adamant; he even closed his eyes and stopped talking.

Dr. DuPont had no choice but to compromise: "Alright. You can drink some saline solution first. But if the situation worsens, we'll have to perform a bloodletting enema."

He asked his assistant to prepare warm salt water. The salt water was brought over, and Rochelle drank it in small sips. But after only half a cup, he stopped, panting.

Dr. DuPont carefully observed Rochelle's changes.

To his surprise, after drinking the salt water, Rochelle's vomiting seemed to lessen somewhat. Although he still had diarrhea, the frequency decreased slightly.

“It’s somewhat helpful,” Dr. DuPont had to admit, “but not enough. You need real treatment.”

Rochelle didn't answer. He was too tired and fell into a deep sleep.

Dr. DuPont came out of the bedroom and said to Claire, "Madam, Jules' condition is dangerous. He needs bloodletting and an enema."

Claire cried and said, "But why does he keep refusing?"

"Because he wanted to prove himself right. If he accepted the bloodletting and enema, it would be tantamount to admitting that he had cholera."

He drank well water to prove that cholera is not transmitted through water—therefore, he absolutely could not admit that he had cholera.

Claire understood and cried even harder: "What can we do? He'll die!"

“I will do my best,” Dr. DuPont said, “but I need your help. You must persuade him to accept treatment.”

Claire nodded: "I will. I will convince him."

But that afternoon, Rochelle's condition worsened. He began to convulse, his hands and feet trembled uncontrollably, his skin became cold, and his pulse became very weak.

Dr. DuPont could no longer heed Rochelle's objections and ordered his assistant, "Hold him down! Bleed him!"

The assistant held Rochelle down, and Dr. DuPont applied a tourniquet and skillfully cut open the vein with a scalpel.

Dark red blood flowed out and into the bowl. After about 500 milliliters of blood was added, Rochelle's convulsions finally stopped.

“Look,” Dr. DuPont said to Claire, “the bloodletting worked. The heat toxins have been expelled.”

But Rochelle was even weaker. He lay there, motionless, with only the faint rise and fall of his chest as proof that he was still alive.

Dr. DuPont began giving him an enema, inserting a long tube into his rectum and pouring in two liters of soapy water.

Rochelle groaned in pain, but having just been bled out, he had no strength to resist.

After the enema, he experienced another bout of severe diarrhea. However, what came out was mostly water with almost no solids.

Rorschach's dehydration worsened; his eyes became sunken, his skin became dry and shriveled, and he looked twenty years older.

Seeing this, Dr. DuPont bled him again, but this time only 300 milliliters; then he gave him an enema.

By evening, Rochelle was on his deathbed.

But he still insisted, "I...I don't have cholera...it's just gastroenteritis...give me water..."

Dr. DuPont disagreed, but said aloud, "Yes, you don't have cholera. This is just severe gastroenteritis. Bloodletting and enemas are appropriate."

Rochelle wanted to say something, but before she could speak, she fainted.

That night, Rochelle struggled between life and death all night, Dr. DuPont stayed by her side all night, and Claire cried all night.

By the next morning, Rochelle had miraculously survived! He was still alive, albeit extremely weak.

Dr. DuPont breathed a sigh of relief: "He pulled through. The bloodletting and enema worked!"

Claire knelt by the bed, holding her husband's hand, sobbing uncontrollably.

The news spread quickly.

------------

On the morning of February 23, the front page headline of Le Gaul was: "Professor Rochelle defeats illness!"

After a two-day, two-night battle with his life, Professor Jules Rochelle finally triumphed over his illness.

It is reported that Professor Rochelle experienced severe gastrointestinal symptoms after drinking the well water. However, his condition has stabilized after bloodletting and enemas to clear heat toxins from his body.

The doctor stated, "Rochelle suffered from severe gastroenteritis, not cholera. This proves that dirty well water can cause gastrointestinal illnesses, but not cholera."

Professor Rochelle himself also maintains this view. When he was lucid, he said:
"I drank the well water to prove that cholera is not transmitted through water. I can say with certainty that I had gastroenteritis, not cholera. My experiment was a success."

This result is the most powerful rebuttal to the "bacterial theory".

If cholera is indeed transmitted through microorganisms in water, then Professor Rochelle should have cholera, not gastroenteritis.

But in fact, the professor did not contract cholera. This proved that cholera was indeed spread through miasma! Professor Rochelle put an end to this debate.

Science has triumphed, tradition has triumphed, courage has triumphed!

The report sent Paris into a frenzy once again. In cafes and pubs, people cheered and waved newspapers.

"Professor Rochelle is alright!"

"He proved it! Cholera is not transmitted through water!" "Sorel and Pasteur were wrong!"

"Bloodletting and enemas are effective! Look, Professor Rochelle survived because of this!"

In the salon, the ladies exclaimed in admiration:
"Professor Rochelle is a true hero."

"He proved the truth with his life."

"Those who believe in the germ theory should shut up."

"Honey, give me another enema, this time with some castor oil."

"I've heard of a secret recipe from the East, would you like to give it a try..."

Even some ordinary people who had initially sympathized with Lionel began to waver:
"Professor Rochelle drank well water and didn't get cholera, so maybe cholera really isn't transmitted through water?"

"Mr. Sorel's method..."

"It might just be a coincidence. After all, someone died in the apartment building too."

Public opinion almost unanimously sided with Rochelle and the Paris Medical School.

Le Figaro, Le Temps, Le Gauls... all praised Rochelle, all proclaiming that "the germ theory has been overturned."

Only a few newspapers, such as Le Parisien, raised questions.

First, did Professor Rochelle really have gastroenteritis? His symptoms were exactly the same as those of cholera.

Second, if it really is gastroenteritis, is bloodletting necessary? Is an enema necessary?

Third, does Professor Rochelle's example truly prove that bloodletting enemas are effective?
Fourth, the patient at 17 Rue Arles did not receive bloodletting or enemas, but only drank saline solution, and still survived.

We are not questioning Professor Rochelle's courage, nor are we denying traditional medicine.

We simply hope that this debate can be based on facts, not on positions.

Science requires questioning and verification, not simply the courage of one to prove oneself right.

However, this article was drowned out by the chorus of praise for Rochelle and barely garnered any attention.

In the days that followed, a consensus had formed in Parisian public opinion:
Rorschach was right, Sorel was wrong; traditional medicine was right, the bacteriological theory was wrong.

Even the government has spoken out. Eugène Poubert, a senior official in the Seine department, said in an interview with Le Figaro:
"Professor Rochelle has pointed the way for Paris's epidemic prevention efforts. We will continue to adhere to scientific measures, isolate patients, purify the air, and burn tar."

As for those who have entered the lockdown area without authorization and spread erroneous theories, we urge them to leave as soon as possible and not interfere with the work of the Paris government!

------------

In late February, the cholera outbreak in Paris reached a turning point, with new cases beginning to decrease significantly.

The number of new cases in the 11th, 19th and 20th districts has dropped from nearly 100 per day to just over 10.

By the end of February, the number of new cases in Paris had dropped to less than ten per day.

On March 1, the Department of Health announced: "The cholera outbreak in Paris has been effectively controlled." It then detailed the government's "achievements":
How many blocks were locked down, how many houses were disinfected, how much tar was burned, how much perfume was sprayed...

But it makes no mention of the situation regarding those "independent apartments".

But some people with ulterior motives have already begun risking entering these restricted areas to quietly start taking statistics—

In the 11th arrondissement, on Obercamp Street, three sealed-off apartment buildings housed 43 cholera patients, with nine deaths. The mortality rate was 21%.

In the 19th arrondissement, Belleville, four sealed-off apartment buildings housed 57 cholera patients, with 11 deaths. The mortality rate is 19%.

In District 20, a sealed-off apartment building contained 22 cholera patients, of whom 7 had died. The mortality rate was 31%.

The lowest-ranking building, 17 Rue de Arles where Lionel is located, had a mortality rate of only 14%.
And what about hospitals? According to internal statistics from the Department of Health obtained at great expense by a reporter from Le Parisien:
Throughout the cholera outbreak, hospitals treated more than 1,200 cholera patients, with at least 980 deaths, and the numbers are still rising.

The mortality rate exceeds 80%!

Public opinion in Paris shifted again, and the debate reignited. But this time, the scales tipped in Lionel's favor once more.

The data is very convincing. Comparing around 20% to 80% will make any rational person think.

Even some doctors who had initially supported Rorschach began to have doubts:
"Perhaps... bloodletting and enemas really are wrong?"

"But that's a two-thousand-year-old tradition!"

"Traditions aren't necessarily right. The data speaks for itself."

Even within the Paris Medical School, divisions have emerged. Young doctors have begun to question the older professors:
"Professor, how do you interpret the data?"

"The data may be problematic. Those journalists don't understand medicine, and their statistics are inaccurate."

"But the difference is too big. Twenty percent and eighty percent, this cannot be explained by statistical error."

Are you questioning traditional medicine?

"I am questioning ineffective treatments."

The debate extended from newspapers to medical schools, from cafes to parliament.

On March 4, a member of the National Assembly raised an inquiry:

Should the government reassess its pandemic response strategy? Should it consider Mr. Sorel's approach?

Interior Minister Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau replied:

"The government's epidemic prevention strategy is scientific and has been verified by experts. Individual data cannot negate the overall strategy."

But the voices of doubt are growing louder.

On March 5, The Century published an editorial entitled "We Need the Truth".

We urge the government to establish an independent commission of inquiry to comprehensively assess all data related to this cholera outbreak.
Hospital mortality rates, mortality rates in detached apartments, and the effectiveness of various treatment methods.

Only the truth can quell the controversy. Only the truth can bring peace to the departed souls.

The editorial resonated widely, but Jules Rochelle stepped forward again, giving an exclusive interview to Le Figaro from his sickbed.

He told reporters, "The data may be real, but the public's interpretation is wrong!"

“Those who remain in the apartment are all mild cases, while the seriously ill patients are in the hospital. Their conditions are more severe, so their mortality rate is naturally higher.”

"Lionel's so-called 'treatment' is not treatment at all. The patients survived because of luck and their physical condition, not because of drinking salt water."

"Bloodletting and enemas have a higher mortality rate because their conditions are more severe. The fact that not all of them died is proof of the treatment's effectiveness!"

"If the critically ill patients who stayed in the apartment also received bloodletting and enemas, more of them might survive and recover faster."

The reporter fell silent; he couldn't refute Jules Rochelle's claim because it couldn't be verified.

After the interview was published, public opinion was once again divided; those who supported Rochelle believed he made sense:
"Yes, the hospital is taking away seriously ill patients."

"Those patients in the apartments are just isolated cases; the numbers in the hospitals are more convincing!"

"Professor Rochelle himself is the best proof; he drank well water and didn't get cholera."

Lionel's supporters, however, believe he is making excuses:
"Can the severity of the illness explain the difference between 20% and 80%?"

"Are hundreds of people considered isolated cases? Or are there a massive number of isolated cases?"

"Rochelle's symptoms are cholera, but he just won't admit it."

Inside the café, people were divided into two factions, arguing endlessly.

In the salon, the ladies were divided into two factions, unable to convince each other, and finally decided to have an enema together to reconcile.

The cholera epidemic has subsided, but the plague on the mind has only just begun.

------------

On March 7, Le Figaro suddenly changed course and published an editorial on its front page entitled "All glory to Professor Pasteur".

In this heated debate about the transmission routes of cholera, one person has been overlooked: Professor Louis Pasteur.

He discovered the bacteria that causes cholera, verified the link between the bacteria and cholera, and proposed scientific disinfection methods.

Whether cholera spreads through miasma or water, Professor Pasteur was an outstanding representative of the French scientific spirit.

He showed us the scientific method—observation, experimentation, and verification.

Let us pay tribute to Professor Pasteur and give him all the glory! His research is France's contribution to the world.

This article completely avoids the crux of the debate—how exactly cholera spreads—and instead brings Pasteur to the forefront.

Praising Louis Pasteur, a member of the French Academy, offends neither Rochelle nor Lionel.

More importantly, Pasteur was a scientist, and his research represents the scientific spirit. To praise him is to praise science.

No one can oppose this stance.

As expected, the editorial received a positive response from all sides.

Professors at the Paris Medical School said, "Professor Pasteur's research is indeed important, but it needs further verification."

Supporters of Lionel said, "Professor Pasteur proved the existence of bacteria, which supports Mr. Sorel's method."

The neutral person said, "Yes, the glory belongs to Professor Pasteur, to France, and to science."

Even Eugène Pubert said, "Professor Pasteur's research provides new insights into public health. We will study it carefully."

For a time, the consensus in Paris was that "all glory belongs to Professor Pasteur".

In newspapers, in cafes, and in salons, people were talking about Pasteur and praising him.

Jules Rochelle and Lionel, on the contrary, have been intentionally or unintentionally forgotten.

Rorschach was still in his hospital bed, but no one was interviewing him anymore. Reporters were more interested in the new discoveries at the Pasteur laboratory.

Lionel is still locked up in his apartment, but nobody cares about him anymore. The newspapers no longer report on 17 Rue de Arles.

This is a common tactic in Parisian public opinion: when a dispute cannot be resolved, a third party acceptable to everyone is elevated to a pedestal.

Thus, all the glory belongs to Professor Louis Pasteur.

The debate has subsided, at least on the surface.

------------

March 10, 17 Rue de Arles.

At six o'clock in the morning, André Michaux began his routine examination of the collected patient excrement samples, carefully observing them under a microscope.

After observing for a long time, he looked up and said to his colleague, "Record it: no active Asian cholera spirochetes were detected in any of the samples."

Then he walked out of the makeshift laboratory and found Lionel: "Mr. Sorel, we can lift the lockdown now."

Lionel was feeding porridge to a child who had lost both parents. Hearing this, he looked up in surprise: "What?"

"No cholera spirochetes were found in any of the excrement samples. This means they are no longer infectious. The apartment can be reopened."

Lionel put down his bowl of porridge: "Are you sure?"

"It's confirmed. Of course, to be on the safe side, the excrement will need to be disinfected today. But at least, we can leave here now."

Lionel was silent for a moment, then said, "Gather everyone."

……

At noon, the doors of the apartment building at 17 Rue de Arles, which had been closed for several days, were opened.

Lionel, leaning on his cane, walked unsteadily at the front. After nearly a month in the apartment, he had lost a lot of weight and was pale.

Perhaps because I hadn't been exposed to the sun for too long, I reached out to block out the bright midday sun.

Following him were André Michaux and other researchers, as well as journalists Gaston Calmet and Maurice Barres.

Behind them were the residents of the apartment building. They helped each other as they slowly walked out; there were nearly a hundred of them.

Across the street, a large crowd had already gathered. Reporters, doctors, health officials, police officers, and ordinary citizens.

Lionel walked to the center of the street, faced the reporters, and said: "17 Rue de Arles has been under lockdown for 2 days, from February 13th to today."

During this period, seven people in the apartment contracted cholera, one died, and six recovered. Furthermore, there have been no new cases since February 13th.

He turned and pointed to André Michaud: "The excrement of recovered patients has been tested and no Asian cholera spirochetes have been found, so they will no longer infect others."

The reporters took notes quickly.

Gaston Calmet stepped forward and said loudly, "I can testify! I was there the whole time! Mr. Sorel is telling the truth!"

Maurice Barres also said, "I can prove it too!"

André Michaux also stepped forward: "I am André Michaux from the Pasteur Laboratory, in charge of all sample testing. Mr. Sorel is right."

He took out his notebook: "These are the test records. We've recorded the changes in bacterial counts in the excrement samples of all the recovered patients in detail throughout the entire process."

Reporters swarmed around, wanting to see the notebook. André Michaux handed it over: "You may circulate it. But please be careful, this is the original record."

The notebook was passed from hand to hand among the reporters. It was filled with dense data, charts, and microscopic sketches—authentic, detailed, and irrefutable.

At this point, the residents of the apartment also began to be interviewed, one after another, telling their stories.

There were no flowery words, no exaggerated praise, just a simple narration: We did as Mr. Sorel said, and we survived.

Reporters were taking notes, and two cameras were also filming.

……

That evening, Lionel finally returned to the "hillside villa," took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and ate a sumptuous dinner prepared by Alice.

Then he lay down on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

He is too tired.

--------------

A few days later, in Pasteur's laboratory. Louis Pasteur sat at his desk, several newspapers spread out in front of him.

Every newspaper was praising him, eagerly trying to elevate him to a pedestal. But he was not happy at all; in fact, he was so angry that his face turned ashen and his hands trembled.

Lionel sat opposite him. He was still a bit thin and pale, but at least he seemed much better.

Pasteur said with some shame, “Leon, look at this. They’re putting all the credit on me. They’re saying you were inspired by me. They’re saying all the glory belongs to me.”

Lionel shook his head: "Professor Pasteur, don't worry about these things."

Pasteur's eyes widened: "Don't worry about it? They're erasing your contributions!"

Lionel smiled, his tone remaining calm: "Professor, I'd like to ask you a question."

Pasteur paused for a moment: "What question? Go ahead and ask."

Lionel pointed to the newspaper: "Is the cholera outbreak over?"

Pasteur was silent for a moment, then nodded: "It should be over by now."

Lionel pointed out the window again: "Has Paris stopped dying from cholera?"

Pasteur probably understood what Lionel meant, and said with a sigh, "Stop."

Lionel spread his hands: "That's good. The cholera is over, no more people are dying. That's the most important thing. As for who gets the credit, that's not important."

Pasteur was still somewhat indignant: "Not important? You risked your life to save so many people. Now they're giving me the credit, that's not fair."

Lionel scoffed: "Professor Pasteur, do you know what Parisians want most right now?"

Louis Pasteur shook his head. He was a scientist, not good at understanding the psychology of people.

Lionel stood up and walked to the window: "They want an explanation that can comfort them. So many people died in the cholera, and they're terrified."

Now that cholera is gone, they need to know the principles, methods, and things to be proud of in this process so that they won't be afraid.

You are the most respected scientist in this country. They can accept attributing the credit to you. But if you say a writer saved someone, many people would be skeptical.

Many would be equally confused if it were said that Professor Rochelle proved himself right with his life. Therefore, all glory must belong to you.

Louis Pasteur was silent. After a long while, he said, "But that's not right."

Lionel laughed: "Right or wrong doesn't matter. Parisians have just come out of the plague, and as for what they want to believe, let them believe."

Louis Pasteur looked at him with a complex expression. There was shame, admiration, and bewilderment...

Finally, Pasteur lowered his head and sighed, "Leon, I...I don't know what to say."

Lionel patted him on the shoulder: "Don't say anything. Come on, let's get down to business."

He walked back to his desk and sat down in the chair: "How's your research on that mold I mentioned last year coming along?"

------------

Time flowed by silently, and in less than half a month, Paris returned to its former bustling state.

The cholera outbreak was limited in scope, and few people died, mostly poor people, so it was quickly forgotten by most people.

As for whether cholera was caused by "bacteria" or "miasma," Parisians have gradually forgotten these two obscure and difficult-to-pronounce words.

Jules Rochelle eventually recovered and returned to work at the medical school.

However, he had an additional task—to closely monitor the activities of Lionel Sorel and Louis Pasteur.

But two whole weeks have passed, and the weather in Paris has started to get hot, and the two men remain silent.

This put his mind at ease.

One afternoon, his secretary placed a copy of "Modern Life" on his desk: "Professor, this is Sorel's new novel."

Jules Rochelle glanced at the open page, which contained a short story titled "The Royal Game."

He curled his lip in disdain: "Sorel has finally stopped 'neglecting his duties'."

However, out of caution, he still picked up "Modern Life" and quickly skimmed through "The Story of Chess".

He then slammed the copy of "Modern Life" onto the table: "Sorel, you complete bastard! You sewer rat!"

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(End of this chapter)