PATHOGENIC BACTERIA 257 



soluble toxins or any endotoxins which the respective organ- 

 isms might produce. It has been suggested that there may be 

 some relation between their toxic effects and the protein sub- 

 stances which are contained within their cell protoplasm. 



Anaphylaxis to Bacterial Proteins. It has been shown 

 by various workers that an animal body may be made to be- 

 come hypersensitive to most all proteins, including those 

 derived from bacteria. The condition of hypersusceptibility 

 to proteins is designated as anaphylaxis (Gr. against protec- 

 tion). If an animal receives a small injection of a definite 

 protein, like egg white, horse serum, etc., and then again after 

 at least 8 to 13 days receives a somewhat larger injection of the 

 same protein, the animal usually dies or is seriously intoxicated. 

 The same symptoms result when bacterial proteins are used. 

 There is a possibility that an individual may be hypersensi- 

 tized to a bacterial protein, and later when infected with the 

 homologous bacteria in larger number may offer no resistance 

 whatever. Anaphylaxis may be transmitted from mother to 

 young in utero. In this way the individual may seem to be 

 naturally hypersensitive to the protein concerned. 



Bacterial Hemolysins. It is a well-established fact that 

 many bacteria, pathogenic and non-pathogenic, produce toxic 

 substances which destroy red blood corpuscles. The filtrates 

 of certain bacterial cultures, such as IVLpyogenes vars. aureus 

 and albus, Str. pyogenes, B. typhosus, Ps. pyocyanea, etc., 

 contain these hemolytic substances. Bacterial hemolysins 

 are closely related to the toxic bacterial proteins, but are, per- 



