Marie Pasteur facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marie Pasteur
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Marie Pasteur in 1899
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Marie Laurent
15 January 1826 Clermont-Ferrand, France
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| Died | 28 September 1910 (aged 84) Paris, France
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| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | scientific assistant |
| Known for | Discoveries made with Pasteur Spouse of Louis Pasteur |
Marie Pasteur (born Marie Laurent on January 15, 1826, in Clermont-Ferrand, France; died September 28, 1910, in Paris) was a very important scientific helper and co-worker for her husband, the famous French scientist Louis Pasteur.
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Marie Pasteur's Life and Work
Marie Pasteur was the daughter of the head of the Strasbourg Academy, a school in France. She married Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg on May 29, 1849. She was 23 years old, and Louis was 26.
Helping with Science Experiments
Marie was more than just a wife; she was a key part of Louis Pasteur's scientific work. She acted as his secretary and helped him write down his scientific findings. She was also an active assistant in his laboratory experiments.
Marie worked with Louis on his early research, which started around 1848. They looked into how tartaric acid behaved differently depending on where it came from. This acid, found in natural wines and wine leftovers, had different properties when it was made in a lab. This work involved studying how light passed through the acid, a process called polarization.
Louis Pasteur's students and colleagues knew how important Marie was to his success. They recognized her vital role as his assistant. For example, she helped grow the silkworms that Louis needed for his experiments on silkworm diseases. She also helped care for the children who received his famous experimental treatments, like the rabies vaccine. After Louis's death, Marie continued to live in their home at the Pasteur Institute in Paris.
Support and Family Life
Marie Pasteur was part of a strong support network for Louis. Famous crystallographer, physicist, and mathematician Jean-Baptiste Biot and Louis's father, Jean Joseph, also helped Louis with encouragement. Jean Baptiste Biot once wrote to Louis's father, saying, "your son is ours also and we share with Marie all our love for him, too." A philosopher named Charles Chappuis was also part of this group that supported Louis.
Marie and Louis had several children. Sadly, their eldest daughter, Jeanne, died from typhoid fever at age 9. In 1865, their 2-year-old son, Camille, also died from typhus. Their daughter Cécile died on May 23, 1866, at 12 and a half years old. Only two of their children, Jean Baptiste and Marie Louise, lived to become adults. Jean Baptiste later became a soldier and fought in the Franco-Prussian War between France and Prussia.
Marie Pasteur was buried in the special crypt (an underground room) at the Pasteur Institute in Paris.
See also
In Spanish: Marie Laurent para niños
