AUTOLYSIS IX I'ATUOLOGICAL PROCESSES 93 



poisons, particularly as aseptic suppuration is accompanied by fever, 

 Joclimanu '^'^ lias found evidence that the protease of leucoytes can 

 cause fever and also reduce the coagulability of the blood. The work 

 of Vaughan and other recent students of the reaction to foreign pro- 

 teins, shows that typical fevers can be produced by the enzymatic dis- 

 integration of proteins in the body."'^'' Degenerative changes in nerv- 

 ous tissue are associated with autolytic decomposition of the lecithin 

 (NoU"^) and the liberated choline, or its more toxic derivatives, may 

 be a source of intoxication.''- In all conditions associated with auto- 

 lysis, such as resolving pneumonic exudates, large abscesses, softening 

 tumors, etc., albumoses (and peptones?) may appear in the urine. 

 Autolytic products may also be hemolytic (Levaditi "^), and thej^ may 

 prevent clotting of the blood (Conradi "*). It is probable that among 

 tlie products of autolysis are bactericidal substances,"^'^ although it is 

 doubtful if the concentration is often sufficient for them to be of 

 influence except in well walled areas. 



Work has been reported upon autolytic processes in a number of 

 pathological conditions, which may be discussed briefly as follows: 



Exudates. — The presence of leucine, tyrosine, proteoses, and pep- 

 tones in pus has been known for many years, and the reason for their 

 appearance is now clear. Miiller,^^ many years ago, observed that 

 purulent sputum digested fibrin, but that non-purulent sputum did 

 not have this property. Achalme "*' found that pus would dissolve 

 gelatin, fibrin, and egg-albumen. Ascoli and jMareschi ®" detected 

 autol,ysis in sterile exudates obtained experimentally. Umber ^^ 

 found that ascitic fluid exhibited autolytic changes, which observa- 

 tion could not be confirmed by Schiitz ^° in pleural exudates and as- 

 citic fluids. Zak ^° found that autolysis was inconstant in various 

 exudates. The ditferences in these results are explained by Opie's"^ 

 observation that in experimental inflammatory exudates the leuco- 

 cytes are capable of marked autolysis, whereas the serum contains an 

 antibody which holds this autolysis in check; if the antibody is de- 

 stroyed by heat, then tlie serum proteins are also digested by the leu- 

 eocytic enzymes. This antibody seems to be contained normally in 



GoVirchow's Arch.. 1908 (104). 342. 



60a See Vaughan, "Protein Split Products." Philadelpliia. 101.3. 



Gi Zeit. physiol. Chemie, 1809 (27), 380. 



G2 See Haliibvirton, Erpebnisse der Plivsiol., 1904 (4), 24. 



G3 Ann. d. I'Inst. Pasteur, 1903 (17), 187; also Fukuhara. Zeit. f. exp. Path. u. 

 Pharm.. 1907 (4), 658. 



64 Hofmeister's Beitr., 1901 (1), 130. 



64a See Bilancioni, Arch, farmacol., 1911 (11), 491. 



GsKossel, Zeit. f. klin. ]\Ied.. 1S8S (13), 149. 



«« Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol., 1899 (.51), 568 



G7 See Malv's Jahresbericht. 1902 (32), 568. 



osMiinch. ined. Woch., 1902 (49). 1169. 



69 Cent. f. inn. Med., 1902 (23), 1161. 



70Wien. klin. Woch., 1905 (18), 376. 



71 Jour, of Exper. Med., 1905 (7), 316 and 759; 1906 (8), 410 and 536; 1907 

 (9), 207, 391 and 414; also a full review in Arch. Int. Med., 1910 (5), 541. 



