90 VACCINE AND SERUM THERAPY. 



certain bacteria is associated with the presence of lytic bodies. 

 Behring found that blood serum from the white rat which is nat- 

 urally immune to the action of anthrax bacilli, exerts a marked 

 destructive effect on anthrax bacilli, while blood from animals 

 not immune to anthrax bacilli exert no such destructive effects 

 on these organisms. 



On the other hand blood serum from the dog and the 

 pigeon, both of which species are practically immune to the 

 action of anthrax bacilli, posses no demonstrable bactericidal 

 power. It is evident that natural immunity is not in all cases 

 due to bactericidal action of blood serum of non-susceptible 

 animals. Acquired anti-bacterial immunity differs from natural 

 immunity to the action of bacteria, in that definite specific 

 immune bodies are present. These' immune bodies are found 

 in the body fluids, especially the blood serum, and dissolve 

 bacteria. 



UNTOWARD EFFECTS OF SERUM INJECTIONS. 



In the conference of passive immunity, blood and blood serum 

 injections are made almost exclusively. Blood transfusions were 

 made by Denis in 1667. While some good results were obtained, 

 fever, embolli, bleeding, heamoglobinuria, and urticaria were 

 sometimes produced by these blood transfusions. Up to 1894, 

 before diphtheria anti-toxin was first generally used, injections 

 of blood and blood serum were rather rare. Following the wide- 

 spread practice of injection of diphtheria anti- toxin in 

 blood, exanthemata followed in approximately twenty -two 

 per cent of the cases. With the injection of diphtheria anti- 

 toxin in blood serum, exanthemata were produced in only six or 

 seven per cent of the cases. From time to time after 1894 cases 

 have been reported in which injections of diphtheria anti-toxin were 

 followed by skin manifestations. While the sequellas of serum 

 injections are usually not serious, still at times serious symptoms 

 and even death have been reported as following injections of 

 serum. 



In 1905, v. Pirquet and Schick originated the term "Serum 

 Krankheit," or serum disease. These investigators found that 

 serum disease varies, two rather definite types of the disease 

 being recognized; one type which results from the first injection of 



