ILYA ILYICH MECHNIKOV: THE BEGINNING OF THE ROAD.ON THE OCCASION OF THE 175TH BIRTHDAY

Abstract

Accomplishments of outstanding biologist I.I. Mechnikov are described over and over again and are proverbially known by everyone. However the present paper pursues a different goal: not omitting this outstanding scientists’ importance for the world Biology progress we tried to focus at the facts of the beginning of his personal life less known to scientific society when his world outlook was just been formed and character feature were chiseled that later had brought him to the Everests of Science. Almost everywhere if possible we provide direct citations from his books or works of his close relatives and friends. The paper describes the very beginning of great Russian scientist I.I. Mechnikov’s biography.