388 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



opsonin or numerous opsonins the author made several tests witli various 

 bacteria. 



From the results it is seen that normal opsonins are specific. By pretreat- 

 liient of a normal serum with a definite variety of bacteria the opsonic power 

 of the serum for that variety of bacteria becomes diminished but no influence 

 could be noted on other kinds of bacteria. 



Are alexins antienzyms of the leucocytes? F. Yoshinaga {A7-ch. Hyg., 72 

 (1910), No. 3, pp. 182-190; abs. in ZentU. Biochem. u. Biophys., 10 (1910), No. 

 If, p. 1S1). — Serum from rabbits' blood which was rendered leukemic showed a 

 greater bactericidal power than ordinary blood serum. From this it can be 

 concluded that the alexin content of the blood is dependent upon the leucocyte 

 content. Dissolution of the leucocytes in vivo by injection of leucocidin pro- 

 duces a stimulation of the bactericidal capacity of the serum. In vivo the 

 leucocytes exhibit twice the phagocytic power which they do in vitro. Leuco- 

 cytic extracts prepared at from 50° to 15° C. from killed leucocytes have a 

 greater bactericidal capacity than either blood plasma or the wash water 

 obtained by washing living leucocytes. 



The histolog-ical evidence that toxins reach the spinal cord via the spinal 

 roots; with special reference to plasma cells, D. Ork and R. G. Rows (Jour. 

 Mental ScL, 56 (1910), No. 232, pp. 86-89; abs. in Zentbl. Biochem. u. Biophys., 

 10 (1910). No. 1, pp. 27, 28). — This work has special reference to the plasma 

 cells and the avenues by which the toxins reach the spinal cord. The authors 

 found that the toxins are carried along the nerve sheaths and thus traverse the 

 perineural lymphatic vessels and eventually penetrate into the nerve bundles. 

 In this way they destroy the vascular elements of the nerve, the nerves them- 

 selves, and the root ganglia. 



Tests in reg'ard to the manner in which anthrax serum acts, O. Bail 

 (Folia SeroL, Jf (1910), No. 2, pp. 123-l-'i.'i ; abs. in Zenlbh Biochem. u. Biophy,<<., 

 10 (1910), No. 1, pp. 29, 50).— The author sought to solve the problem of the 

 action of anthrax serum on the basis of the aggressin hypothesis. The results 

 with guinea pigs and in vitro show that it is possible to render the serum of 

 immunized animals inactive by injecting or adding aggressins. 



Cancer in man and animals, E. F. Bashford (Berlin. Klin. Wchnschr., Jf6 

 (1909), No. 36, pp. 1637-16-^2, figs. 3; abs. in Hyg. Rundschau, 20 (1910), No 10, 

 pp. 566-568). — A discussion of the results of modern cancer research with par- 

 ticular reference to the results obtained at the London Imperial Cancer Re- 

 search Institute. 



The zoological position of the causative agent of epizootic lymphang-itis, 

 L. Panisset (Rev. (leu. Med. Vet., 15 (1910). No. 175, pp. 378-38.'i).—A critical 

 review of the investigations of this micro-organism. 



Further notes on differences in precipitins produced by tubercle bacilli, 

 E. R. Baldwin (Jour. Med. Research, 22 (1910), No. 2, pp. 293-299).— ''The ap- 

 parent differences between precipitins produced by filtered extracts of tubercle 

 bacilli and the extracted residues are not fundamental. By prolonged or re- 

 peated treatment of the sera with the residue or extract the precipitins for both 

 can be absorbed. Quantitative differences in the antigen or precipitinogen and 

 its absorbability by the animals explains in great part the difference in the 

 resulting sera, as well as the physical and chemical conditions present in the 

 tests in vitro." 



The preparation of sera rich in antitubercular antibodies by repeated 

 injection of tubercular antigens, A. Calmette and L. Massol (Compt. Rend. 

 8oc. Biol. [Parisl, 68 (1910), No. 2, pp. 48-50; abs. in Zentbl. Biochem. u. 

 Biophys., 10 (1910), No. 1, p. 30). — Tuberculin prepared by the authors, when 

 repeatedly injected into horses, produce tubercular antibodies in the seruuL 



