224 CHEMISTRY OF TIIK IMMUMTY REACTIONS 



of the same species {isoayglutination) , a fact which must be taken 

 into account in performing" transfusion of blood, lest dangerous ag- 

 glutination take place. Agglutination of an individual's corpuscles 

 by his own seinim (autuaggliitination) , nuiy also be observed under 

 experimental, and perhaps under pathological conditions (Land- 

 steiuer), this pathological autoagglutination probably occurring espe- 

 cially at temperatures below 37°. (See Parox.ysmal Hemoglobin- 

 uria.) ]\Iany bacteria produce substances that are agglutinative for 

 human red corpuscles, among them being B. typhosus, pyocyaneus, 

 and staphylococcus. Flexner ^^~ has found in typhoid fever thrombi 

 that seemed to be composed of agglutinated red corpuscles, almost 

 free from fibrin and leucocytes. Probably many of the so-called "hy- 

 aline thrombi" found freciuently in infectious diseases are really com- 

 posed of agglutinated, partly hemolyzed red corpuscles (see "Throm- 

 bosis," Chap. xi). 



HEMOLYSIS BY BACTERIA -s 



Both pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria produce hemolytic 

 substances that are excreted into the fluids in which they grow. Dur- 

 ing many infectious diseases marked hemolysis occurs, especially in 

 those diseases accompanied by septicemia. After death the hemo- 

 globin of the blood goes into solution, and the resulting staining of 

 the walls of the blood-vessels, and later of the tissues everywhere, is 

 generally familiar. In the post-mortem hemolysis probably the pu- 

 trefactive organisms are chiefly concerned, although it is marked a 

 very short time after death in many cases of septicemia, particularly 

 when the infecting organism is the streptococcus, and here probably 

 the pathogenic organism is the chief cause of the hemolysis. The 

 hemolytic action of bacteria can be studied both {}i vitro and in vii'o. 

 Among the best known hemolytic bacterial toxins are tetaiwlysin, 

 pyocyanolysin, typholysin, staphylolysin,^^ and streptocolysin, as they 

 have been termed. Of these, the case of pyocyanolysin is question- 

 able, because it has been described as resisting heat above the boiling- 

 point, and Jordan *"' seems to have proved that the hemolysis is a.scriba- 

 ble to the alkalinity that this organism produces in culture-media. 

 Other bacterial hemolysins are, however, destroyed by heat at 70° or 

 less for two hours ; but they are altogether different from ordinary 

 cellular hemolysins. Apparently streptocolysin is simply a toxin for 



57 Univ. of R-nn. IMod. Bull., 1002 (15), 324'; Aini-r. Jour. Mod. Sci., I'M);! ( 12(i), 

 202. 



58 See Pribram, Kolle and Wassermann's Handliuch.. lOi;^ (II). l:?2S. 



59 Analysis of staphylolysin ])v Burkhardt (Arcli. cxp. I'itth. \uul IMiarni.. I!tl0 

 (63), 107), showed it to 1)p diiily/.ahlc, protein- and biiiiot-ficc. tlicrniolaliilo and 

 soluble in other. From 1i. piitidum lie isolated a luMnolytic substance which 

 seems to be a derivative by oxidation of erucacic acid ( oxydiiut'lliylthiolerucacic 

 acid ) . 



'^I'.lour. Medical Research, 100:] (10), 31. 



