MATURE OF THE ACTIVE PRINCIPLES 32I 



This author thinks that tlie slight doubtful reaction observed 

 with the injection of the supernatant fluid could have been due 

 to small traces of agar. He concluded, therefore, that the reacting 

 j)()tency of the agar is apparentlv not due to anaphylatoxins. 



|. Bordet ^vas able to show that anaphylatoxins could be ob- 

 tained also when agar used for toxification of serum was deprived 

 entirely of nitrogenous com})onents and represented simply a 

 complex of carbohydrates. In contrast, Sickles was unable to 

 obtain reactions in prepared skin sites by an intravenous injection 

 of purified agar (Chapter ix) . 



Inasmuch as in Friedberger's experiments described above, the 

 employment of fresh complement was essential for production of 

 anaphylatoxins in antigen -[-antibody mixttnes, experiments were 

 made by me in order to determine whether the complement 

 played any role in the reacting potency of antigen -|-antibody 

 complexes. Tuo c.c. of a mixture of equal parts of normal sheep 

 serinn diluted 1:100 previously heated to 56° c. for twenty min- 

 utes ^vith undiluted anti-sheep rabbit serum, also previously heated 

 at 56° c. for twenty minutes, ^vere endo^ved ^vith the same react- 

 ing potency as mixtures of the same unheated ingredients. The 

 anti-sheep rabbit serum and the normal sheep serum, heated or 

 unheated by themselves, ^vere unable to elicit any reactions in 

 the prepared skin sites. 



As quoted before, P. Bordet found that, similarly to other aiiti- 

 gen-|-antibody complexes, sheep red blood cells sensitized with 

 hemolytic anti-slieep serum are endowed with reacting potency. 

 According to Friedemann and others, beef red blood cells sen- 

 sitized ^vith anti-beef serum are able to invoke production of 

 anaphylatoxins. P. Bordet attempted, then, to determine whether 

 the sensitized beef red blood cells are capable of eliciting the 

 phenomenon under consideration. "Washed beef red blood cells 

 weic mixed ^vith 2 c.c. of rabbit anti-beef serum. The mixture 

 failed to elicit reacti(jns in skin sites prepared with B. coli. 

 T^\■enty-four hours later, the same animals reinjected intrave- 

 nously with sensitized sheep red blood cells developed strong reac- 

 tions. The author notes that the agglutination of sensitized sheep 

 led blood cells is more marked than that of sensitized beef red 

 blood (ells. He mentions, therefore, the possibility that the agglu- 

 tinal>ility may be related to the reacting potency of the red blood 

 cells. 



Accoiding to DeKriuf, a blood \\hich is initially non-toxic 



