68 FORMATION OF DEFENSIVE FERMENTS 



observed. Surely it would be absurd to limit the 

 study of anaphylaxy only to a study of the behaviour 

 of the blood ; for it is more than likely that it is 

 the cells of the body which ultimately play the chief 

 part in the appearance of anaphylaxy. The behaviour 

 of the blood plasma is possibly only a reflection of the 

 defensive measures adopted by the cells of the body ; 

 while, in any given case, it may be only a special type 

 of cell that has to be considered. 



Special interest attaches to the proof of how 7 the 

 organism reacts when blood of its ow 7 n kind, or from 

 another animal species, is introduced into its cir- 

 culation. In the latter case ferments appeared in the 

 plasma, which decomposed albumens and peptones. 

 If harmonious blood were chosen from an animal 

 of the same race, no reaction whatever w r as noticed 

 when it was transmitted directly, i.e., without leaving 

 the blood-vessels. When, on the contrary, blood 

 which belonged to an entirely different race was 

 introduced into a dog, then a decomposition could 

 be demonstrated within the circulation. 



Ap-ainst the results thus obtained one micrht raise 



c? o 



the objection that the appearance in the circulation 

 of active reducing ferments would give rise to enor- 

 mous disturbances, because even those albuminous 

 bodies that are in harmony with the plasma are 

 liable to be attacked by them. But this is evidentlv 

 not the case, since the plasma, though containing an 



