66 FORMATION OF DEFENSIVE FERMENTS 



moments following the anaphylactic shock, i.e., 

 during so-called antianaphylaxy a state in which 

 the animal becomes absolutely insensitive towards 

 further injection. 



If we summarize all the results obtained up to date, 

 we arrive at the conclusion that our observations with 

 regard to the appearance of ferments in the blood 

 plasma, after injection of disharmonious proteins and 

 peptones, undoubtedly stand in some kind of relation 

 to anaphylaxv. The special significance of these 

 ferments, however, remains uncertain. It would 

 appear possible that these ferments acquire some 

 special properties in the course of time, and then, by 

 decomposition of the second dose of albumen, give 

 rise to derivatives of a highly specialized nature and 

 activities. 8 



There are many other possibilities to be considered. 

 The decomposition may not necessarily take place 

 only in the blood. Our method has at present only 

 demonstrated the appearance of ferments in the 

 plasma or serum, and that could only be done 

 because the ferments, which we find after parenteral 

 introduction of proteins and peptones, cannot nor- 

 mally be traced in the blood plasma of certain 

 animals. It is not unlikely that, after the introduction 



Other substrates, which are also decomposed, may not 

 give the same derivatives, in which case a specific activity of 

 the material first injected would be assured. 



