MECHANISM OF ANTITOXIC IMMUNITY 139 



of immunity referable to receptoric atrophy is a most important 

 one, and that we may reasonably expect much valuable information 

 from a continued and more detailed investigation of the subject. 

 Since the same principle, moreover, seems to apply not only to im- 

 munity to infection, but also to the question of resistance to various 

 chemical agents on the part of various low forms of animal and 

 vegetable life, it is clear that the subject must also be of great 

 interest from the standpoint of therapeutics, and furnishes a logical 

 basis for the now generally recognized fact, that in the medicinal 

 treatment of certain infections, like syphilis, our aim should be a 

 therapia magnet sterilisans, rather than the continued administration 

 of small doses of certain drugs (see section on Chemotherapy). 



In fine we may say that much has already been learned of the 

 manner in which immunity may develop, but much more still 

 remains to be known. The avenues along which further investi- 

 gations may be profitably pursued are already well defined and we 

 may confidently expect much valuable new information in the near 

 future. 



