Nov. 19, 19" Hematoxins from Parasitic Worms 407 



I. EFFECTS OF SAI^T-SOI,UTlON EXTRACT OF FRESH WORMS ON RED BI,OOD 



CORPUSCI^ES 



In the following experiments the hemolysin was obtained from about 

 100 specimens of Ancylostoma caninutn collected from three dogs. The 

 parasites were put into a bottle containing a physiological salt solution 

 and kept in an ice box for about 24 hours after removal from the hosts, 

 without any apparent loss of vitality. 



The extract designated as extract of fresh worms was prepared as 

 follows: The parasites were ground up in a mortar containing a small 

 quantity of a physiological salt solution, and the macerated material 

 was then suspended in about 20 cc. of salt solution, shaken vigorously 

 for a few minutes, and placed in a refrigerator overnight. The super- 

 natant fluid was found to be hemolytic, as the following experiments 

 will show. 



Experiment i. — ^To each of three tubes containing 0.5 cc. of a 2 per 

 cent suspension of washed dog erythrocytes there were added, respec- 

 tively, 5, 8, and 10 drops of the extract of fresh worms. As a control, 

 to a fourth tube containing the same quantity of suspension of cor- 

 puscles there were added 10 drops of a salt solution. The tubes were 

 shaken thoroughly and placed in the incubator at a temperature of 

 37° C. At the end of 30 minutes the tube containing 10 drops of the 

 extract showed complete hemolysis. The tube containing 8 drops of 

 extract showed complete hemolysis 15 minutes later, while the tube 

 containing 5 drops of extract showed partial hemolysis at the end of 

 an hour. The control tube showed no hemolysis. The tubes were kept 

 in a refrigerator overnight and no further change was noted. 



Experiment 2. — ^To three tubes each containing 10 drops of a 5 per 

 cent suspension of washed sheep corpuscles there were added, respec- 

 tively, 5, 8, and 10 drops of the extract of fresh worms. It was neces- 

 sary to incubate the tubes at 37° C. for two hours before hemolysis was 

 produced in any tube. The tube containing 10 drops of extract showed 

 complete hemolysis; the tube containing 8 drops of extract showed 

 partial hemolysis, while the tube containing 5 drops of extract showed 

 no hemolysis. A fourth tube containing 10 drops of corpuscle suspen- 

 sion and 10 drops of salt solution showed no hemolysis. These tubes 

 were kept in a refrigerator overnight with practically no change in 

 results except that hemolysis was complete in the tube containing 8 

 drops of extract and was faintly indicated in the tube containing 5 

 drops of extract. 



Experiment 3. — ^The extract of fresh worms was tested against 

 washed rabbit corpuscles as in experiments i and 2. Ten drops of a 

 3 per cent suspension of washed corpuscles were completely hemolyzed 

 by 5 drops of extract in 20 minutes at a temperature of 37° C. This 

 experiment was controlled as usual. 



