252 



IMMUNO-CATALYSIS 



Table XI 



Controlrr:6 drops of trypsin solution digested 3 ml. of milk at 45 °C. during 

 a 60-minute period. 



b. The Toxic and Lethal Action of the Trypsin Preparation. Sub- 

 cutaneous injection of 3 to 4 ml. of the preparation produced, at the 

 injected area, an inflammatory lesion; within 15 to 20 hours a charac- 

 teristic slough was observed. A larger dose produced death within 

 36 hours. Histological study of the necrotic lesion at different phases 

 of formation revealed paralysis of the blood capillaries, which dilated 

 and permitted the passage of large volumes of serum and red cells. 



Due to the complex nature of the extract, Achalme found it difficult 

 to isolate the active principle responsible for the toxic effects. How- 

 ever, he was convinced that the effects were due to trypsin. Amylases 

 and lipases were stated not to exercise pathological effect. A filtered 

 extract of papain, on the other hand, produced toxic effects identical 

 with that produced by trypsin, which provided him with confirmatory 

 evidence that the proteolytic property of the preparation was respon- 

 sible for the pathological effects. He corroborated these findings with 

 results obtained with bacteria which exercised high degrees of pro- 

 teolytic activity.* 



The above cited results obtained by Achalme appear to be corrobo- 

 rated by the findings of other investigators. Ten Broeck (1934) found 



*Pozerski and Guelin C 1938b) studied thirteen different bacteria with varying 

 degrees of proteolytic activity with respect to their slough producing capacity. In 

 contrast to Achalme's findings they could not establish any direct correlation between 

 these two properties of bacterial proteases. 



