French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur is on a quest to cure the ailments of the 19th century. But he's thwarted at every turn by skeptical fellow scientists, chief among them Dr. Charbonnet . He draws scorn when he supports the germ theory, advocating that doctors should wash their hands and sterilize their instruments before working on patients. But Pasteur perseveres, and when anthrax becomes a scourge, he holds the key to solving the epidemic.
