94 BACTERIOLOGY. 



favorable conditions by all bacterial poisons. The first 

 requisite is that sufficient poison be absorbed; but, on the 

 other hand, it must not be absorbed with such rapidity as 

 to overwhelm the injected animal, for a moderate dose 

 may raise the temperature, while a very large dose 

 lowers it, as occurs sometimes when a very large sur- 

 face, such as the peritoneum, is suddenly involved. 



Centanni 1 obtained through warmth and alcohol 

 from the bodies of bacteria a substance called pyro- 

 toxin, which was with difficulty dialyzed. From dif- 

 ferent bacteria not only the physiological but also the 

 chemical properties of the pyrotoxin were the same. 

 Not only did this cause fever, but also, when persisted 

 in, it produced emaciation, quickened heart-action, 

 apathy, dyspnoea, etc. 



The bacterial poisons produce an increase in the 

 number of leucocytes and a lessening in the amount of 

 haemoglobin in the blood. The deleterious effects on 

 the nutrition are partly due to the direct effect of the 

 poison and partly to the diseased conditions of the 

 organs of the body, such as the spleen, kidney, and 

 liver. Degeneration of the nerve cells is frequently 

 noticed after infectious diseases; especially is this true 

 of diphtheria. Several bacterial poisons have been 

 found to produce convulsions; the best example of this 

 is the tetanus toxin. 



The true bacterial poisons are, as already stated, 

 neither alkaloids nor albumins. Some of them, such 

 as the diphtheria and tetanus toxins, are peculiar in 

 their effects, while others, such as those produced by 

 the pneumococcus and streptococcus, can scarcely be 

 distinguished. They are destroyed by heat at 70 C. 



1 Deutsche med. Wochenschrift, 1894, Nos. 7 and 8. 



