94 EXZYMES 



the albumin of the blood-serum. In old exudates the antibodies are 

 decreased, and autolysis then occurs, explaining the variable results 

 of Umber, Schiitz and Zak. The intracellular proteases of the poly- 

 nuelear leucocytes act best in an alkaline medium; those of the 

 mononuclears in an acid medium. If the proi)()rti()n of serum to 

 leucocytes is high, then there is no autolysis, as in serous exudates; 

 but if the leucocytes are abundant, then the antibody is overcome 

 and we get autolysis, as in ordinary suppurative exudates. Animals 

 with but little protease in their leucocytes (e. g., rabbits), do not 

 ordinarily produce a liquid pus (Opie). Exudates produced by bac- 

 terial infection also seem to possess the properties above described. 

 Galdi '- found autolysis greater in exudates than in transudates, but 

 observed no constant relation between the number of leucocytes, or 

 the amount of chlorides, and the rate of autolysis. All exudates, ac- 

 cording to Lenk and Follak,'' contain enzymes splitting glycyl-gly- 

 cine (peptolytic enzymes) ; the most active exudates are those of 

 cancer and tuberculosis, the least active are passive congestion fluids; 

 pleural exuchites contain more active enzymes tlian peritoneal exudates 

 of similar character. 



Knapp '* holds that in pus the cocci and tlie enzymes they produce 

 are responsible for much of the digestion. Pus cells alone do not 

 undergo digestion so rapidly as wlien bacteria are present, and di- 

 gestion is more rapid if the bacteria are alive than when inhibited or . 

 killed by antiseptics. Streptococcus is almost inactive, staphylococcus 

 is quite active, and B. coli still more so. However, pus corpuscles 

 free from bacteria are highly proteolytic, causing digestion in serum 

 plates in dilutions of 1-700 (Jochmann). Knapp could find no rela- 

 tion between the autolytic power of the pus and the severity of the in- 

 fection from which it resulted. A constant constituent of pus is 

 d-lactic aeid,^^^ and it increases during autolysis ; this may well modify 

 the rate of autolysis of pus. (See also tlie discussion of the "Chem- 

 istry of Tiis, " Cha]). X.) 



Proteolytic Enzymes of the Leucocytes.'-' — By tlie introduction of 

 the plate method of testing the proteolytic activity of leucocytes, 

 Miiller and Jochmann brought the study of this particular vital 

 activity into the range of clinical laboratories, and aroused nuu-h 

 general interest in what had previously concerned only a few pathol- 

 ogists, especially E. L. Opic The jn-inciple is that of permitting 

 the leucocytes or other cells to act ui)oii a blood .serum plate at a tem- 

 pei'ature of 55'^', which prevents bacterial action but permits the pro- 



7-' See Folia llcmat., 1!)().") (2), .")2n. 



73 Dout. Arcli. kliii. Med.. 1013 (100), ViTiO: see iilso Wiener. Biocliem. Zeit., 

 1012 (41), 140; Miuidclliainii. :Miiiieli. ined. Woeli., l!tl4 (CI). 4(il. 



7* Zeitsclir. f. lleilk., I!l(i2 (2:5. Cliir. .Mil.), 2:i(i. 



7-ialto, .Tour. ]?i<.l. Ciieiii.. 101(1 (2(1). 17.S. 



"■'• i"'ull liililio^'riipliv liv \\ieTis, Kr<relmisse riivsiol.. lOll (l.">), 1: ■locliinaiin, 

 Koiie and Wasserniaiin's Ilandliueli. 1012 (2). 1:301. 



