452 PROTEIN POISONS 



The above-mentioned facts, ascertained by experimental 

 study, have been cited to show that the existence of both 

 intra- and extracellular germicidal substances in the blood 

 has been demonstrated. These substances have been 

 called alexins, antibodies, and by other names. It seems 

 to us that at present they should be classed as ferments. 

 As has been said, we do not know much about ferments, 

 but it is evident that these bodies have a lytic action. They 

 break up complex molecules into simpler bodies. Their 

 primary function seems to be to supply the cells which 

 elaborate them with food. In doing this they also protect 

 the cells, to which they belong, by the destruction of harmful 

 bodies both particulate and formless, both animate and 

 inanimate. The digestive ferments of our alimentary 

 canals serve the same double purpose. Any unbroken 

 foreign protein having found its way into the blood is a 

 poison, but in the alimentary canal it is broken up and 

 prepared as a food for the body cells. Every living cell 

 has such a ferment or such ferments. Their presence and 



bacilli in the nodule, which was rubbed up with beef-tea and injected into 

 the abdominal cavity of guinea-pig No. 186, weighing 385 grams. On 

 October 10, 1894, I killed this pig, and found a nodule the size of a pea at 

 the point of inoculation. Three small tubercles were found in the peri- 

 toneum; the omentum and liver were filled with tuberculous nodules. One 

 testicle was tuberculous. This is an interesting case, showing that the 

 germ, which had not spread in the rabbit, had, when transferred to the 

 more susceptible guinea-pig, induced a widespread tuberculosis 



"Rabbit a "weighed 1030 and b 1100 grams. In both, nodules as large 

 as filberts were found at the point of inoculation, and smaller nodules in 

 the omentum. On October 10, I killed No. 1, weight, 2134 grams. This 

 animal was found to be wholly free from tuberculosis. On October 1, 1 

 killed No. 2, weight , 12150 grams, which was found perfectly normal. No. 3 

 was found dead October 2. Postmortem examination showed a pear-shaped 

 tumor in the omentum. This was three inches long and one and one-half 

 inches in diameter at the base. It consisted of three cysts, which contained 

 very fetid pus, in which were found a short bacillus and a large micrococcus. 

 There was no evidence of tuberculosis. No. 4 was killed October 10, 

 weight 1990 grams. I found a small nodule at the point of inoculation. 

 This w r as not attached to the abdominal wall, but was in the connective 

 tissue, between the skin and the muscle. I could find no germ. In all other 

 respects this rabbit was normal. No. 5 was killed October 10, weight 2000 

 grams, and found perfectly normal 



"These experiments indicate that rabbits may b<> rendered immune to 

 tuberculosis by previous treatment with yeast nucleinic acid " 



