70 



but inercly influence aad control the con- 

 centration 0Î these antibodies in the se- 

 rum. 



Most of the littérature furnishes scant 

 iafonnation on histopathologic lesions 

 of the blood-forming organs, dealing me- 

 rely with the physiologic side of the 

 question, the subject considered being 

 the antibody producing capacity of the 

 lx>ne-marrow. 



The complexity of the origin of 

 antibodies amply justifies an interest in 

 histopathologic research which may fur- 

 nish a solid basis for discussion. 



There is an aljundant literature on 

 the subject of immunity but almost none 

 of it deals with this side of the question. 



OUERRINI (1903) linimiiiised rats witli broth cultu- 

 res of Bacillus murisepticus and found histoloijical le- 

 sions in lungs, heart, kidneys and nervous system, a few 

 hours after the injection of the immunising substances. 

 There was nothing characteristic about these, they were 

 quite similar to the ones produced in all intoxications ; 

 lhe lesions of the adrenals, liver, spleen and bone-mar- 

 row, however, showed other alterations besides ; in adre- 

 nals aiid liver nuclear turgescence and chromatin-disag- 

 gregation ; in sp!ee)i and bone-marrow : numerous ma- 

 crocytes with polymorphic nuclei. 



OAY »nd RUSK (1913) immunised rabbits'by repea- 

 led intra-venous injections of washed guinea-pig corpus- 

 cles and inoculated again fresh washed corpuscles after 

 an interval of two or more weeks. They made a careful 

 histopathological examination of subjocts killed successi- 

 vely, 1,4 and 24 hours, 4 and 6 days after inoculation 

 and attempted to show evidences of functional activity 

 of certain cells which might be supposed to have formed 

 the antibodies. The only alteration found was the stri- 

 king increase of glycogen in the liver of the subject 

 killed 24 hours after Injection. They themselves are 

 doubful as to the interpretation which should be given 

 to this. 



METALNIKOW and OASCHEN (1922) studied in 

 Intertebrates, (Larvae of Qaleria), the processes of im- 

 munity principally the changes in the blood. At first 

 there is a reaction of the various leucocytes and phago- 

 cytes and after that a phagocytic reaction ; in the third 

 piace a leucolysis and phagolysis with the freeing of in- 

 tracellular ferments and antibodies. Shortly afterwards 

 there is a reaction of the spherular cells, which seem to 

 play an important part in immunity. Finally there is a 

 formation of giant-cells and of capsules. The above-men- 

 tiooed authors think that immunity is the result of a 

 veiy complex reaction of the cells of the organism and 

 that these reactions are specific for each microbe inje 

 ctt<!. 



SESTINI (1922) observed a thyroid hyperfunction iir 

 immunised guinea-pigs (B. typhi) which takes the form 

 not only of increase of lipoids and fuchsinophile granu- 

 les and modification of colloid substances but also of 

 changes in the cells of the vesicles and intravesicular 

 thyroid epithelium, which correspond really to a state 

 of telangectoid hyperplastic struma. 



The publications of FOÁ (1889), DO- 

 MINICI (1900), LENGEMANN (1901), 

 MUIR (1901) LONGCOPE (1915), EVANS 

 (1916), etc. on the alterations in the- 

 se organs in different infections and the 

 production of leucocytes in leucocytosis 

 furnish indirect information on the his- 

 topathologic lesions in immunitity. 



History. 



The hypothesis on the origin of 

 antibodies, deduced from the leading opi- 

 nion of different research-workers can 

 be thus expressed: 



1") All the cells in the body take 

 part in the formation of antibodies; the 

 cellular protoplasma is the seat of the 

 production of antibodies; as an immedia- 

 te consequence we have the opinion that 

 many tissues can produce antibodies lo- 

 cally. 



The primary hypothesis of EHRLICH, according to 

 which all the cells in the body would take a part in the 

 formation of antibodies, is sufficiently known. The local 

 production of antibodies was put up by the first research- 

 workers (ROEMER, VON DUNOERN, WASSERMAN- 

 NANN and CITRON). Subsequent research cast doubts 

 on this opinion and indicated that the contrary was the 

 case. HEKTOEN (1911) carried out experiments, the re- 

 sult of which do not favour the local production of spe- 

 cific antibodies, in dogs injected with rat and goat cor- 

 puscules, at any rate in the tissue of the pleura, the cel- 

 lular subcutaneous tissue and that to be found in the 

 anterior chamber of the eyeball. Injection of red corpus- 

 cles of rat or goat in tNe anterior chamber of the eye- 

 ball in dogs is followed by the appearance of specific 

 antibodies ind the blood an frequently in the aqueous 

 humor. Antibody concentration Is greater In the aqueous 

 humor of the injected eye but is decidedly less in both 

 eyes than in the blood ; antibodies do not appear first 

 in the aqueous humor but in blood. Injection of rabbit 

 or goat corpuscles in the pleural cavity of dogs is follow- 

 ed by the appearance of specific antibodies in the 

 blood and in the pleural exudates, having been produ- 

 ced by the injection of aleuronate. The concentration in 

 -the pleural exudates is not greater than in the bloo<i 



