186 EXPERIMENT STATION" RECORD. [Vol. 41 



to be greater in weakly sensitized than in strongly sensitized anim-als. (3) A 

 lowered sensitiveness to the anaphylactic poison. This is considered the least 

 important factor. 



Selection hypothesis. — Attempt at a uniform explanation of immunity, 

 tissue immunity, and immunity phenomena, L. vox Lieberjiaxn (Biocltcm. 

 Ztschr., 91 {1918), No. 1-2, pp. 46-85; abs. in Intermt. Centbl. Gesam. Tuber- 

 kulose Forsch., 12 (1918), No. 7, pp. 186, 187). — The author discusses the various 

 phenomena of immunity according to the following hypothesis : 



In the struggle between virus and cells, the weaker cells perish and the 

 stronger maintain themselves and by means of increased resistance establish a 

 relative immunity. As proof, the increase in virulence of pathogenic organ- 

 isms in repeated animal passage is cited. The degree of immunity will, there- 

 fore, depend upon the proportion of slightly resistant and very resistant tissue 

 cells, and must be higher after severe illnesses, such as typhus, cholera, and 

 smallpox, in which more uonresistaut cells are destroyed than after protective 

 inoculation in which only a few such cells are destroyed. The destroyed tissue 

 cells, which include cell protoplasm and the products of reaction between it and 

 the virus, are absorbed by the blood. In this colloidal solution the antibodies 

 can exert a similar influence on the virus as during the struggle in the tissues. 

 The antibodies must be specific for each antigen. 



Anaphylaxis is a continuation of the immunization process. The antibodies 

 are decomposed with the formation of poisonous substances which are set free 

 on the reinjection of antigens of strong affinity. Allergy is produced when a 

 rather weak virus attacks the cells only superficially without destroying them, 

 but results in an irritation which manifests itself principally on a reinjection. 

 In cutaneous reactions, local hyijeremia originates through the liberation of 

 poisonous decomposition products of the antigen injected first. 



In conclusion several references to the literature on the subject are given, 

 with exiilanatory remarks as to the theories involved in the citations. 



Anti-infectious immunity: Presence of specific substances in the leucocytes 

 of immunized animals, A. Bachmann {Rev. Zootec, 6 {1919), No. 66, pp. 404~ 

 417). — The author discusses various theories which have been advanced in ex- 

 planation of immunity, and describes a series of experiments which tend to 

 show the presence of a special substance in the leucocytes of immunized animals 

 which renders these leucocytes better fitted than others to contend with in- 

 fections and consequently to produce a state of immunity. 



Destructive hyperimmunity, A. Vernes {Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. [Paris], 

 82 {1919), No. 3, pp. 118, 119). — Attention is called to a phenomenon sometimes 

 observed in rabbits vaccinated progressively against sheep corpuscles. If too 

 large a quantity of erythrocytes is injected into a rabbit whose blood has become 

 strongly hemolytic, paralysis, often fatal, occurs in a few minutes. This is 

 thought to be due to the animal's having acquired the power of destroying too 

 rapidly the foreign blood corpuscles. The name " destructive hyperimmunity " 

 has been given to this phenomenon, the degree of which is apparently governed 

 by the weight of the rabbit and the dose of injected corpuscles. 



Quantitative investigation of the influence of complement upon precipi- 

 tates, H. Lampl and K. Landsteiner {Ztschr. Immuiiitdtsf. u. E.rpt. Ther., I, 

 Grig., 26 {1917), No. 3, pp. 193-198). — To determine whether complement is able 

 to digest specific precipitates, such precipitates were weighed before and after 

 treatment with active and with inactive serum. No change in weight sufficient 

 to indicate a digestive action of the complement was observed. 



Preservation of complement, A. D. Ronch£;se (Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. 

 [Paris], 82 (1919), No, 5, pp. 193-195). — For preservation of complement the 



