STUDIES ON HYEMOLYSINS. 



57 



If we bear in mind that the toxins in a restricted sense (diph- 

 theria toxin, tetanus toxin, etc.) are characterized by two different 

 groups, of which one is haptophore and the other toxophore, and 

 if we express this by means of a diagram, we shall find that the anal- 

 ogy between toxins and hremolysins becomes very apparent. The 

 active hcemolysin is seen to be nothing but a toxin consisting of two parts. 

 One of these parts, the immune body, corresponds to the haptophore 

 group of the toxin, while the complement represents the toxophore 



FIG. 1. 



a, complement; b, interbody (immune body); c, receptor; d, part of a 

 cell; e, toxophore group of the toxin; /, haptophore group. 



group. 1 In opposition to our views, Bordet assumes that the immune 

 body (substance sensibilatrice) in a manner not definitely stated, 

 sensitizes the blood-cells so that certain injurious substances present 

 in normal blood-serum (alexins) act destructively on these cells. 



1 This analogy becomes apparent also in heating, for the toxins as well 

 as the hsemolysins, through the loss of the toxophore group by the one, or 

 of the complement (which corresponds to the toxophore group) by the other, 

 lose their specific action. On the other hand, the residues, which still possess 

 the haptophore group, are able to excite the production of specific antibodies 

 in the organism. In this sense, therefore, the toxoids are analogues of the im- 

 mune body. 



