The Pasteur Institute celebrated his jubilee. In spite of the absence from "The House" of many members on account of the war, the library filled with people, and the fête had a cordial and intimate character. Dr. Roux's speech[31] will remain the best description of E. Metchnikoff and of his scientific activity. He himself responded to all those manifestations of sympathy by a spirited speech, in which, _à propos_ of his own particular case, he expounded his ideas on senility and the duration of life in general. This is what he wrote on that same day in his note-book:
[31] _Annales de l'Institut Pasteur_, Jubilé d' E. Metchnikoff, 1915.
16th May 1915. To-day I have at last accomplished my seventy years! I have attained the normal limit of life, a limit mentioned by King David and confirmed by the statistical researches of Lexis and Bodio.[32] I am still capable of work and of reflection. But the changes in my psychical state which I had observed a year ago have become sensibly accentuated. The difference in acuteness both of pleasant and painful sensations is becoming more and more marked. Agreeable sensations are becoming weaker; I am now indifferent to many things which I used to appreciate very much.
It is useless to say that I am indifferent to the quality of my food; my need of musical impressions has become so much less that I hardly feel the desire to satisfy it. The charm of spring no longer touches me and only provokes sadness in my mind.
On the other hand, my anxiety for the health and happiness of those I love is getting more and more acute. I find it difficult to understand how I ever could bear it.
The powerlessness of medicine grieves me more and more, and, as a last straw, the war has interrupted all the work that had been undertaken against disease. In these conditions, it is not astonishing that I should feel a growing satiety with existence. Last year [16th May 1914 to 16th May 1915] I had two attacks of tachycardia, during which I should have been glad to die, but in general my health is satisfactory and that sustains me. What would have become of me if, to crown my misfortunes, I had fallen ill! I certainly no longer fear death, but I desire to die suddenly during a heart attack and not to go through a long illness.