292 Manual of Veterinary Microbiology. 



Brieger isolated from impure cultures on meat several 

 toxic ptomaines: tetanin, tetanotoxin and spasmatoxin. 

 The first gives the typical tetanus when injected in 

 very small doses, the second produces tonic and clonic 

 convulsions, and the third hyper-salivation and con- 

 vulsions. According to more recent investigations 

 the tetanic poison appears to be an albumin related 

 to the diastases or soluble ferments. It is destroyed 

 by a temperature of 65° in five minutes, is insoluble in 

 alcohol, soluble in water, and adheres to precipitates 

 of alumina and phosphates. It is destroyed by heat 

 and preserved by desiccation if this is rapidly ob- 

 tained in a vacuum and without the aid of heat. 



This toxine appears to act more particularly on the 

 muscular tissue, which would explain the appearance 

 of the first tetanic contractions in the muscles which 

 are adjacent to the wound or to the place of inocula- 

 tion. When administered by way of the digestive 

 canal it is inactive. 



From the preceding considerations it may be in- 

 ferred that the microbe of Nicolaier produces its ef- 

 fects only by means of the diastases which it secretes. 

 Moreover, it gains entrance into the blood only in 

 the last moments of life, or after death. 



Attenuation. Vaccinations. — By heating the filtrate 

 to different temperatures between 55° and 100° until 

 it becomes inactive, and inoculating this material to 

 mice, we determine a mild, curable form of tetanus, 

 but one which is not followed by immunity. 



Kitasato endeavored to obtain immunity against 

 tetanus by the action of trichloride of iodine. He 

 injected 0-3 cc. of filtered culture under the skin of a 

 rabbit and immediately afterward, in the same place, 



