HAEMOLYSIS ENDO-COMPLEMENT 



not be discussed) that the solution of corpuscles without the action 

 of serum was due to a complementing of the venom amboceptor 

 by means of complements contained in the corpuscle itself, which 

 he called endo- complements. This he proved experimentally. He 

 argued that if he dissolved the red blood-corpuscles which contain 

 endo-complements by means of distilled water, the solution should 

 act as though it contained free complements, and should reactivate 

 venom amboceptor, combined with corpuscles which it was unable 

 to dissolve without the aid of serum. This was found to be the 

 case. A laked solution of human corpuscles mixed with venom 

 would haemolyze the corpuscles of the ox, sheep, and goat ; but a 

 solution of ox corpuscles and venom would not dissolve the cor- 

 puscles of the goat or sheep. He showed that these endo- 

 complements are thermolabile, though more resistant than most 



FIG. 37. SHOWING EFFECT OF SHORT EXPOSURE OF RABBIT'S CORPUSCLES 

 TO THE SERUM SHOWN IN FIG. 35. 



The non -dominant complement is absorbed, and the supernatant fluid no 

 longer dissolves sensitized ox corpuscles, whilst retaining its action on 

 sensitized rabbit corpuscles. (In most cases the dominant complement is 

 removed first.) 



of those in sera. They are destroyed at 62 C. in half an hour. 

 Kyes gave an additional demonstration of his theory by showing 

 that if rabbit's corpuscles are soaked for twenty-four hours in 

 normal saline solution, the endo-complement dissolved out, and 

 could be demonstrated in the fluid, whilst the corpuscles were no 

 longer haemolyzed by snake venom without the addition of serum. 

 He holds, therefore, that the corpuscles contain endo-complements 

 able to dissolve them, but only when brought into organic relation 

 with their protoplasm by means of amboceptor. 



He next went on to demonstrate that a definite chemical 

 substance lecithin can act as a complement to snake venom, 

 and that either it or the serum-complement could act as a 

 dominant so as to bring about solution, or that the two might act 

 together. Lastly, he was able to prepare a combination of cobra 

 venom and lecithin, which he calls cobra-lecithid, which is quite 

 different in its physical and chemical characters from either of its 



