BY R. GREIG-SMITH. 



395 



Tlie influence of the leucocytes. — According to Bushnell* and to 

 Briscoe,^ the leucocytes vary in their avidity for bacteria, and it 

 may be that, by using the separate,! a variable proportion of 

 different kinds of phagocytes are obtained upon different occasions. 

 In the paper just noted, I have shown how light and heavy leuco- 

 cytes may be separated; and, as these have different capacities 

 for bacteria,! they might exert different actions so as to produce 

 differences in the dilution-curves. Their respective actions were 

 compared in conjunction with various strengths of saline. 



Curves prepared from these results show that the phagocytic 

 action in saline of 0"6 ^ and 1 /o concentration is very much the 

 same, while 08 /o saline shows a distinct difference. 



The experiment makes it appear probable that one reason for 

 obtaining sometimes a curve which rises above the unity line, 

 and, at others, a curve which falls below unity, is that there are 

 differences in the relative proportions of the various corpuscles. 



It is curious that, while the phagocytic index of the light 

 corpuscles in the 0*8 % saline is higher than the heavy, as was 

 found on a former occasion, the order is reversed upon dilution. 



Brit. Med. Journ. Nov. 16th, 1907, 1422, 1423. 

 t These Proceedings, 1908, (380. 

 tlbicl, p. 085. 



