PATHOGENESIS 311 



auaphylactic sickness, again indicates that it is less the 

 morphological state than the biological potency of organic 

 substances that is responsible for the effects observed. 



It appears that the anaphylactising substances are chiefly 

 albumins and globulins from serum (albumins from white of 

 egg), and, further, that no chemically-formed substance can be 

 onaphylactogenic, which again seems to suggest that it is 

 mainly a biological antagonism with which we are here 

 concerned. 



Peptones lie between colloids and crystalloids. Some 

 believe that the phenomena of anaphylaxis are due solely to 

 peptones. Others conclude that they are due not to albumin 

 itself, but to certain of its cleavage products, probably 

 analogous to peptones. "Cleavage-products," like other 

 decomposition-products of proteins (alkaloids !) may be any- 

 thing but desirable " building-stones." 



Many of the albumins of ordinary fare require a consider- 

 able amount of breaking down by the digestive juices, a task 

 sometimes beyond their power. The blood seems to require 

 simpler and purer substances, such as the plant is able to 

 manufacture in ideal perfection. Fruits, except when over- 

 cultivated and especially surfeited with manures, have not 

 been known to produce the anaphylactic state. Thus again we 

 see the ideal adequacy of "love-foods" free from impure 

 and non-reciprocal, and, therefore, obstinate and antagonistic 

 "cleavage-products." Albumin of animal origin, because of 

 its lack of biological reciprocity, thus is at best but second- 

 hand food and bound to cause various troubles. Prof. Richet 

 tells us that " as long as the albuminoid molecule is not com- 

 p!etely destroyed, even when it is extensively broken up 

 by tryptic digestion, it remains capable of producing 

 nnaphylaxis." 



If it thus taxes the strongest powers of digestion to deal 

 with (animal) albumen, how much more certain is it that a 

 direct injection into the blood stream, particularly in cases of 

 already debilitated vitality, must have poisonous effects. The 



