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sufferer of tuberculosis. In the first experiments I coloured the 

 fibrine with methylic-blue and in the following with eosine. 

 The mixtures obtained in this way, were placed in an incubator, 

 for the time of 16 hours in a temperature of 37° C. If after 

 i6 hours the fibrine had been consumed, the liquid became blue 

 (resp. pink). If there was no consumption, the above-mentioned 

 liquid remained colourless. 



As tissue I took fibrine, an indifferent substance, in order to 

 be able to trace the influence of the nature of the tissue on 

 the reaction. For, by replacing fibrine by tuberculous tissue I 

 could trace, what influence the nature of the tissue had on the 

 result of the reaction. 



I had expected, that I should see the most intense consump- 

 tion of the fibrine, if I brought blood-serum, tuberculine and 

 white corpuscles together. According to my train of thought, 

 the leucocytes would be killed by the poisons, coming free by 

 the action of serum on tuberculine. Out of the killed leucocytes 

 would come free peptically working ferments and these would 

 again especially transform the fibrine. But the result of the 

 experiments was quite different. Comsumption of the fibrine 

 did always arise, when I added it to blood-serum ; but was always 

 less intense, when I moreover added either tuberculine, or white 

 corpuscles or both. This greatly astonished me. Therefore I 

 submitted the checking influence exercised by tuberculine and 

 leucocytes on the transformation of coloured fibrine by means 

 of human-serum, to a closer research. From this a new method 

 of serological research has proceeded. Before setting forth this 

 method I have first to treat of the preparatory researches first 

 to be held. 



Preparatory researches. 



So I found as the result of the above-mentioned experiments 

 that serum, obtained from tuberculous people can transform 

 coloured horse-fibrine to a rather high degree. Immediately the 

 two following questions present themselves : 



1. Does the serum of every man possess the property of 

 being able to transform fibrine ; or does this property specially 

 belong to serum, obtained from tuberculous persons? 



