274 THE ACTION OF THE LIVING CELL 



endodermal origin, the lungs, liver, kidneys, etc. 

 Thus, by the long continued action of sublethal quan- 

 tities of cytost, it was found that one may induce 

 chronic pathological changes in the same tissues, and 

 that they respond most rapidly to the action of cytost 

 during shock. The rate at which such degenerations 

 may be induced was found to depend upon both the 

 dosage of cytost employed in the experiments, and 

 the frequency of the injections. 



It is of especial interest to note that the degenera- 

 tive conditions which can be induced by the often re- 

 peated injection of cytost are similar to those which 

 are of the utmost importance in pathology, and whose 

 cause is frequently the most obscure. The writer is of 

 the opinion that such conditions arise most frequently 

 from the action of cytost derived from injured tissues. 

 As is well known, the kidney involvements which 

 sometimes occur in individuals who have been badly 

 burnt are commonly attributed to "tissue toxins," and 

 this is in harmony with the writer's contention. 



From the investigations which we have discussed 

 earlier, it should be clear that since any injury, trau- 

 matic, chemical or bacterial, may result in the libera- 

 tion of cytost which will affect the visceral organs in 

 greater or lesser degree, if long continued, this may 

 eventually lead to pathological conditions of appar- 

 ently obscure cause. It follows, therefore, that a mild 

 more or less chronic injury may finally result in such 

 pathological conditions at a distance from the actual 

 site of injury. 



With this in mind, one may easily trace the possible 

 connection between foci of infection and disease of 

 obscure origin, such as nephritis, or arthritis. That 



