THE SCIENCE AND ART OF PROTEAL THERAPY 165 



sponse from that particular protein may be expected. After 

 that one may shift to millet seed protein (No. 38) or rape seed 

 protein (No. 42), and so on. The advantages of such a transi- 

 tion are that it enables one to begin with a mild general response 

 and presently to get the maximum effect from an individual 

 protein. 



The response to the combined proteins would be, theoretically, 

 varied and comprehensive ; the response to the single protein 

 restricted, but relatively intense. 



The experienced physician will use his own ingenuity in mak- 

 ing application of these principles, just as he does in combining 

 drugs in his ordinary prescriptions. Every skilful practitioner 

 uses combinations of drugs having allied effects, in the confident 

 belief that he is attaining certain results at least a little better 

 than could be secured from any one of the individual constit- 

 uents. Yet he might find it difficult to prove this. Similarly, 

 some users of the Pro teals come to feel that they get results 

 from combinations that they do not get from the individual 

 proteins. I repeat that it remains for the future, with its analysis 

 of thousands of cases, to justify or refute this belief. 



Meantime it is not in the least in doubt that each type of 

 protein produces its own individual response, and that one pro- 

 tein may not be substituted for another indifferently. That a 

 system immunized to large doses of proteins of one kind or 

 combination, for example, will show the most vigorous reaction 

 when a new protein is introduced, has been demonstrated over 

 and over in my experience, particularly in the early days when 

 working with the unbroken proteins. 



This is tantamount to saying that, whereas the Proteals are 

 thus standardized on the basis of the same amount of protein 

 in each, it does not follow that each one is the equivalent of the 

 other in its therapeutic action. It is my opinion, as the reader of 

 the foregoing pages is aware, that the protein response is always 

 similar in character and to be interpreted in the same physiolog- 

 ical terms. But it has already been pointed out again and again 

 that some Proteals produce much more active response than 

 others. The explanation offered has been that proteins to which 

 the system has longest been accustomed and most continuously 

 experienced will produce the least striking reaction. 



SPECIFIC PROPERTIES OF NON-SPECIFIC PROTEINS 



To speak of the specific properties of non-specific proteins 

 would appear to be, on its face, a contradiction of terms. But 

 the phrase has definite meanings that are clearly intelligible. The 

 word "specific" as employed in connection with the use of pro- 



