168 Dr. Wright and Capt. Douglas. Action on [July 26, 



B. 



Supernatant fluid of pus derived from sinus 1 vol. 



Physiological salt solution L 



A. E. W.'s washed corpuscles 2 vols. 



Suspension of heated tubercle bacilli 2 



Phagocytic index (40 P.W.B.C. searched), 0. 



With a view to ascertaining whether the tissue lymph might not 

 normally be poorer in opsonic substances than the serum, the following 

 experiment was made : 



A. 



Serum of blood withdrawn from A. E. W.'s finger.. 2 vols. 



A. E. W.'s washed corpuscles 2 ,, 



Suspension of heated tubercle bacilli 1 vol. 



Phagocytic index (average of 50 P.W.B.C.), 0-92. 



B. 

 Fluid from blister raised by friction upon A. E. W.'s 



finger 2 vols. 



A. E. W.'s washed corpuscles 2 



Suspension of heated tubercle bacilli 1 vol. 



Phagocytic index (average of 50 P.W.B.C.), 0-86. 



Observation 3. 



The patient was a young man operated upon for ascites dependent 

 upon extensive tubercular infection of the peritoneum. 



A. 

 Serum obtained from blood withdrawn from finger 1 vol. 



B. H. S.'s washed corpuscles 1 ,, 



Suspension of heated tubercle bacilli 1 ,, 



Phagocytic index (average of 21 P.W.B.C.), 25'4. 



B. 



Fluid withdrawn from peritoneum 1 vol. 



B. H. S.'s washed corpuscles 1 



Suspension of heated tubercle bacilli 1 



Phagocytic index (average of 34 P.W.B.C.), 4-6. 



It is interesting to bring into relation with the data of this last 

 observation (a) the fact that the opsonic index of this patient's serum 

 stood to the opsonic index of the control serum employed (A. E. W.'s) 

 as 1-5:1; (b) the fact that the prognosis, so far as the restriction of 

 the infection to the existing focus of disease, is comparatively favour- 

 able in cases of tubercular peritonitis ; and (c) the fact that a retro- 

 gression of the infection often follows in these cases upon the evacuation 

 of the peritoneal fluid. 



