IMMUNITY IX EXPERIMENT^NX, INFECTIONS 131 



Since in Cannon's opinion the antibodies are produced largely by 

 the reticulo-endothelium, it is ])robable that antibody is also con- 

 tained within the tissue macrophages. 



3. When virulent staphylococci are injected after the guinea pigs 

 have become sensitized, the bacteria adsorb antibody, there is an 

 increase in the coliesive (sticky) propertj* of their surface and as 

 a result of physical-chemical changes many of them agglutinate. 

 This antigen-antibody complex should lead to anaphylactic inflam- 

 mation. 



4. The filming of bacteria by antibody with resulting surface 

 changes constitutes the process of opsonification which favors 

 phagocytosis. 



5. The bacteria are pliagocytized and destroyed Avithin the food 

 vacuoles of the clasmatocytes. The latter contain antibody wliich 

 means that tliey may be affected by antigen-antibody reactions. 

 Tliis may be a factor in the development of an intense secondary 

 inflanuuation accompanied l)y an increase of neutrophiles and 

 clasmatocytes. 



The organisms remain localized not only as a result of the edema 

 and thrombosis of blood and lymph vessels but also because of the 

 factors just mentioned. 



Immunity to Pneumococcus Infection. — There is more or less 

 controversy in regard to the defensive mechanism against pneu- 

 mococcus infection. Gay and Clark (1930) say that while mononu- 

 clear mobilization by nonspecific irritation is effective against 

 streptococci, it is of little value in pneumococcus infection unlass 

 the pneumococci are first treated with a specific immune serum. 

 Apparently when the pneumococci are opsonized the mobilized 

 mononuclear defense is effective. Nakahara has also investigated 

 the effectiveness of clasmatocytes mobilized in the walls of the 

 ])eritoneum of mice by the intraperitoneal injection of olive oil. 

 He found increased resistance to staphylococci, pneumococci and 

 li. coli. 



Cannon and his associates, Walsh and Hartley (1936, 1938), 

 have studied upper respiratory tract infections in normal, immune 

 and allergic rabbits. They have also investigated the effect of 

 various substances used in intranasal medication upon the de- 



