Question

what did pasteur presume initially about the rabies germ? ​

Answer 1

Ironically, this microbe, which Pasteur at first thought might be the rabies agent, was actually Pneumococcus pneumoniae, a major bacterial pathogen that was correctly identified several years later by Albert Frankel.

Answer 2

Explanation:

Pasteur worked hard to isolate the rabies agent, but he wrongly presumed that he should be able to grow it in pure culture. ... Using his microscope, Pasteur in fact saw a microbe in the rabbit's blood, which he thought might be the rabies agent.