220 Chapter VIII 



portion of the vibrios became transformed into granules, whilst 

 another became the prey of the leucocytes. The fact is, the sup- 

 pression of phagolysis demands special conditions : the broth that is 

 iujected must be freshly prepared, and before its introduction into 

 the peritoneal cavity it must be heated to 37 39 C. Even when 

 these precautions are taken it sometimes happens that the experi- 

 ment is not very successful. In making the experiment we must be 

 guided by the appearance of the peritoneal fluid withdrawn into 

 the small glass pipettes. If the fluid which enters the tube is. clear 

 or scarcely clouded, it indicates that phagolysis has taken place, in 

 spite of the preparatory injection. The experiment is successful 

 in those cases where the peritoneal exudation is very cloudy and 

 resembles pus. 



As the demonstration of the suppression of Pfeiffer's phenomenon 

 as well as that of phagolysis is of fundamental importance, I asked 

 M. Gamier 1 to carry out further experiments with the object of 

 setting the question at rest. Using a whole series of fluids for 

 the preparatory injection he found that fresh broth gives the best 

 [232] results. In guinea-pigs in which the phagolysis had been reduced 

 to a minimum, phagocytosis commenced immediately after the in- 

 jection of the vibrios. In from two to five minutes many vibrios 

 are found inside the leucocytes, the free vibrios now being few 

 in number and not exhibiting Pfeiffer's phenomenon. Gamier in 

 his memoir gives photographic reproductions of leucocytes crammed 

 with vibrios ; these should convince the veriest sceptic. Since the 

 publication of this paper no objection has been advanced, and this 

 question of the suppression of the granular transformation of vibrios 

 may now be regarded as definitely settled. I have since demonstrated 

 this feature to many observers, all of whom have assured themselves 

 of its accuracy. It must, then, be accepted that Pfeiffer's phenomenon 

 is not produced in the peritoneal cavity except when there is phago- 

 lysis. As this fact renders it very probable that the microcytase, 

 which is necessary for the transformation of the vibrios, escapes from 

 the injured leucocytes, it becomes necessary to verify this hypothesis 

 by a series of other experiments. If this hypothesis be well founded, 

 Pfeiffer's phenomenon should not be observed in those situations in 

 the body where there are no, or almost no, leucocytes already present. 

 These conditions can be realised by injecting cholera vibrios into the 

 subcutaneous tissue or into the anterior chamber of the eye of guinea- 

 1 Ann. de VInst. Pasteur, Paris, 1897, t. xi, p. 767. 



