THEORIES OF IMMUNITY. 



wise prove that some other influence will not 

 some day be found assisting the phagocytes in 

 their action — an influence that has as yet 

 escaped our observation. 



Ziegler also, from whose text-book Metchni- 

 koff had received his first stimulation, took up 

 a strong position against the theory, considering 

 that the intervention of these cells was purely 

 fortuitous, and that the part played by them in 

 infectious diseases was entirely accidental as 

 against the action of the bacteria. His students 

 and assistants after experimenting upon the 

 subject reached the specific conclusion that 

 phagocytosis had nothing to do with the phe- 

 nomena of immunity to be found in anthrax and 

 symptomatic anthrax, as supposed by Metchni- 

 koif ; but this work was also carefully reviewed 

 by independent observers (Lubarsch, Ruffer, 

 Leclainche, and Yallais) and by Metchnikotf 

 himself, and the correctness of the observations 

 was again demonstrated, by which the assertions 

 were supported that phagocytosis was an active 

 force in these diseases. 



Other pathologists — notably Yirchow (Yirch. 

 Arch., 1885, T. CI., p. 12), Ribbert (Deut. Med. 



19 



