( 156 ) 



It is clearly demonstrated that the phagocytes, which have been 

 exposed for two hours to the action of solutions of Sodium Chloride, 

 exhibit a greater phagocytarian power when they are transferred 

 into serum, than when they are placed into salt solution of 0.9 %• 



No doubt the observation will strike the attentive reader as 

 contradictory, that this is only the case with the phagocytes which 

 had been exposed to the action of sodium chloride of 1 %> 1.1 % 

 and 1.2 °/ > but n °t w l* n those which for the same space of time 

 had been immersed in a similar solution of 0.9 % ; then the effect 

 of this salt-solution and the serum is quite the reverse. This, however, 

 is not actually the case; for in serum the phagocytes are likely to 

 stick together and on this account do not offer as large a surface to 

 the carbon as in the salt-solutions in which they remain more isolated. 

 If then, as must be the case in an isotonic solution, the injurious 

 effects of the Cl-ions of the pure salt solution are comparatively 

 small, they may easily be exceeded by the unfavourable position of 

 the cells caused by the serum. 



When, however, by the use of hyper-isotonic solution of sodium 

 chloride, the injurious action of the Cl-ions be increased, it may 

 exceed the detractory influence of the agglomeration of the cells, 

 and produce the results shown in the 'able. 



With regard to these statements it may here be asked why, in 

 isotonic solutions of sodium chloride, the injurious effect on the 

 phagocytes cannot be determined, but is easily demonstrated when 

 hyper-isotonic solutions are used, and the more readily in proportion 

 as the concentration of the salt solutions are increased in strength. 

 This question is very natural, because it concerns such a small 

 increase in the considerable amount of ions of CI or of Na 

 already present. Here we are involuntarily reminded of the fact 

 stated by Hedin ') with regard to the red blood-corpuscles. The 

 minute investigations of this scientist have brought to light the fact, 

 that in isosmotic isotonic solutions of salt, the corpuscles possess an 

 equal volume, but that in isosmotic anisotonic solutions their relative 

 volume is no longer equal. Hedin has not given an explanation of 

 this important fact; but anyhow, it proves that simple solutions of 

 salt, when anisotonic, exercise still another kind of action beyond that 

 of their osmotic pressure. We propose to investigate this matter 

 somewhat further: it is very probable that by a modification in the 

 dissociation of the contents of the cell, an altered condition for the 

 exchange of ions is produced. 



') Hedin. Skandinavisches Archiv f. Physiol, 1895 S. 377. 



