The First Anthrax Letters
UAB's Reynolds Historical Library holds 17 letters written in 1882 by Louis Pasteur on anthrax vaccination. Pasteur, who developed the anthrax vaccine for animals in 1881, engaged in a long correspondence with Louis Thuillier, an assistant dispatched by Pasteur to Germany to conduct vaccinations in sheep and cattle. "The letters, written between protege and mentor, offer a fascinating look at the science of the late 19th century and the activities of one of the world's greatest scientists," says Michael Flannery, M.A., director of the Reynolds Library. Pasteur's vaccine worked by injecting a weakened form of anthrax into animals to stimulate an immune response.
Contact Bob Shepard, Media Relations, 205-934-8934 or [email protected].
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