Antihodies in General 13 



It appears from the foregoing that it is immaterial whether the 

 receptors or haptins and the haptophorous groups are attached to 

 celhilar elements or in solution, the diagrammatic representation 

 indicates the mode of cheiidcal union. A molecule provided with 

 haptophoric groups is as we have seen styled a haptin, the other 

 groups with which it is provided being named in accordance with the 

 action produced by the antibody. Thus, a toxic haptin possesses 

 haptophorous and ^oa'ophorous groups ; a ferment haptin possesses 

 haptophorous and zi/mophorous groups; precipitins a haptophorous 

 and er^ophorous group, the latter term being suggested by Michaelis 

 and Oppenheimer (1902, p. 360). 



Antibodies resemble each other in a number of points. Ana- 

 logous bodies to toxoid (Ehrlich), are complementoid (Ehrlich and 

 Morgenroth), agglutinoid (Eisenberg and Volk), precipitoid (Kraus 

 and Pirquet). The chemical examination of various antibodies by 

 fractional precipitation (summarized by Pick, 1902, p. 34) shows that 

 all observers agree in their not being bound up with fibrino-globulin 

 and serum-albumin. This has been found to be the case with diphtheria 

 and tetanus antitoxins, with cholera-lysin, with cholera and typhoid 

 agglutinins, with precipitins. Anti-antibodies for anti-spermotoxin, 

 anti-hajmolysin, and precipitins have been obtained, but not anti- 

 antitoxins and anti-bacterio-agglutinins. As Kraus and Eisenberg 

 (27. II. 1902, p. 211) point out, this is explainable by Ehrlich's theory. 

 The diphtheria antitoxins and typhoid agglutinins only possess affinities 

 for diphtheria toxin and typhoid bacilli respectively, and consequently 

 if they are introduced into an animal the immune-bodies they contain 

 find no substances to which they can become anchored, and it follows 

 that they will not lead to the formation of new substances such as 

 anti-antitoxin and anti-agglutinin. On the other hand, other immune- 

 substances introduced into animals of a corresponding species, will lead 

 to the formation of anti-immune bodies. All the antibodies have the 

 property of entering into chemical union with the bodies to which they 

 owe their origin, specific affinities existing between them. The names 

 which have been applied to various antibodies are in accordance with 

 their action in corpore or in vitro. 



I do not think it expedient here to enter further into the theories 

 of Ehrlich with regard to the more intimate nature of toxins, the 

 so-called " toxin-spectra " and the like, regarding which the reader 

 is referred to the papers by Ehrlich. A useful summary on the subject 

 will be found in the collective review by Aschofif (1902). A number 



