The "Lateral-chain Theory" of Immunity 



"In the first place, our theory affords an explanation of the specific nature of 

 the antitoxins, that tetanus antitoxin is only caused to be produced by tetanus 

 toxin, and diphtheria antitoxin through diphtheria toxin. This very specific 

 nature of the affinity between toxin and cell is the necessary preliminary and 

 cause of the toxicity itself. Further, our theory makes it easy to understand the 

 long-lasting character of the immunity produced by one or several administra- 

 tions of toxin, and also the fact that the organism reacts to relatively small 



Figs. 21 and 22. Show the regeneration of the cell-haptophores or receptors to 

 compensate for the loss of those thrown out of service. 



quantities of toxin by the production of very much greater quantities of anti- 

 toxin. By the act of immunization, certain cells of the organism become con- 

 verted into cells secreting antitoxin at the same rate as this is excreted. New 

 quantities of antitoxin are constantly produced, and so throughout a long period 

 the antitoxin content of the serum remains nearly constant. The secretory 

 nature of the formation of antitoxins has been very strikingly illustrated by the 

 beautiful experiments of Salmonson and Madsen, who have shown that pilo- 



Fig. 23. Shows the number of 

 haptophores regenerated by the cell 

 becoming excessive; they are thrown 

 off into the tissue juice. 



V 



it! 



Fig. 24. Explains what antitoxins 

 are and how they are formed. The 

 liberated receptors in the tissue juice 

 and in the blood, possess identical com- 

 bining affinities with those upon the 

 cell, and meeting the adapted hapto- 

 phorous elements in the blood, com- 

 bine with them, thus keeping them 

 from the cells. 



carpine, which augments the secretion of most glands, also occasions in immu- 

 nized animals a rapid increase in the antitoxin content of the serum." 



"The production of antitoxins must, in keeping with our theory, be regarded 

 as a function of the haptophore group of the toxin, and it is easy therefore to 

 understand why, out of the great number of alkaloids, none are in a position to 

 cause the production of antitoxins. Conversely, indeed, I recognize in this 

 incapacity of the alkaloids, in opposition to the toxins, to produce antitoxins 

 a further and salient proof of the truth of the deduction I have previously based 

 on chemical grounds, that the alkaloids possess no haptophore group which 



