THE SCIENCE AND ART OF PROTEAL THERAPY 167 



Thus food plants and their allies would furnish proteins to which 

 the system was relatively immune; whereas the plants lying bo- 

 tanically rather far afield from the food plants would furnish 

 proteins of relative activity or toxicity. Experience, so far as 

 it has gone, tends to confirm this supposition. In selecting plants 

 for the development of new Proteals, I am guided by this prin- 

 ciple. Among the newer extracts, for example, the clover pro- 

 teins may fairly be expected to produce more pronounced re- 

 sponse than the proteins of oats and wheat. 



It may be added that the theory finds further confirmation in 

 the fact that the proteins of white of egg and of milk, which 

 I have used somewhat extensively in alternation with the vari- 

 ous Proteals, give a still milder reaction, so I was accustomed, 

 while experimenting with them, to standardize them in a three 

 per cent, solution and give them in the same dosage that was 

 employed with the two per cent. Proteals. 



All this clearly implies specific differences in the therapeutic 

 action of the non-specific proteins. If the conclusions just given 

 are justified, it is obvious that here is a field for investigation 

 of very wide possibilities. The plants from which I have hith- 

 erto extracted proteins for therapeutic use number fewer than 

 thirty species ; it would be difficult to put a limit upon the num- 

 ber that might advantageously be tested. 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROTEALS 



It is my custom to begin the treatment of every new case with 

 doses of only three or four minims of any one of the proteals; 

 and administering treatment usually on alternate days, but some- 

 times daily, to increase minim by minim, or, if there is no reac- 

 tion, two or three minims at a time till a maximum dose is 

 attained. 



The size of the maximum dose varies with the individual case. 

 Where there is profound protein toxaemia, as in a well-developed 

 cancer subject, it is usually desirable to run the dose up rather 

 rapidly to 10, 15, or even 20 minims ; sometimes a good deal 

 beyond this. Doses of 60 and even 90 minims of the original 

 proteal extract have been given. I formerly thought it desirable 

 to push the dosage until a fairly severe general reaction (rise of 

 temperature, quick pulse, chill) was produced on at least one occa- 

 sion. Prolonged experience, however, in which clinical symp- 

 toms were observed in connection with the blood-count modifica- 

 tions, leads me to question whether this is usually desirable, 

 even in cases of malignancy; and it is not in the least degree 

 necessary to secure a general reaction in dealing with the milder 



