228 CHEMLSTRY OF rilE IMMl MTV REACTIONS 



the stroma of the corpuscles. Extracts of Morchella esculcnta do not 

 hemolyze corpuscles in vitro, although powerfull}^ hemolytic when 

 injected into animals, and causing severe hemoglobinuria; so that 

 it is probable that they cause their hemolytic effects indirectly through 

 the changes which they produce in the tissues of the poisoned animal.'^'' 



HEMOLYSIS BY VENOMS" 

 The laking of blood-corpuscles by venoms is of peculiar interest 

 from the standpoint of immunity phenomena, since it was demon- 

 strated by Flexner and Noguchi that the hemolytic principle of the 

 venoms resembles an amboceptor, in that some substance behaving 

 like complement has to be furnished by the blood. Kyes demon- 

 strated that this complementing agent is lecithin,^^'' and was able to 

 produce what he considers to be compounds of the hemolysin with 

 lecithin, called "leeithids." The hemolytic activity of these lecithids 

 is very great, and they seem to be free from the neurotoxic princi- 

 ple of the venoms. Whether thej^ represent true compounds of a 

 hemolytic amboceptor with lecithin, or are simpl}^ actively hemolytic 

 products of the cleavage of lecithin by an enzymatic activity of the 

 venom, is at present unsettled ; ^^ it seems probable, however, that 

 the hemolysin of cobra venom is a lipase that splits lecithin into two 

 hemolytic components, oleic acid and "desoleolecithin" (Coca)." 

 Noguchi suggests that not only lecithin, l)ut also soaps, especially 

 of unsaturated fatty acids, and probably protein compounds of soaps 

 jind lecithin, may act as the hemolytic "complement" which activates 

 venoms. The hemolytic agents of venom seem to be secreted by the 

 salivary glands of the reptiles from their blood, wliieh contains almost 

 identical amboceptors, differing chiefly in that they can be activated 

 only by agents contained in snake blood, while the amboceptors of 

 venom can be activated by nearly all sorts of blood. Venoms from 

 cobra, rattlesnake, moccasin, and copperhead possess in each a variety 

 of intermediary bodies (amboceptors) that seem to be at least partly 

 identical in nature, although they may vary in quantity. In order of 

 decreasing hemolytic power for mammalian corpuscles come venoms 

 from cobra, water moccasin, copperhead, and rattlesnake. These 

 venoms are also agglutinative for all corpuscles tried, and agglutina- 

 tion will occur at 0° C. Exposure for thirty minutes at 75°-80° C. 

 destroys the agglutinating property. In general, the hemolytic power 

 of the venoms for different sorts of corpuscles varies in inverse ]iro]ior- 



70 Freidborcrer and Brossa, Zoit. Immunitiit., 1912 (15), .506. 



77 Geneial review of literature on the lieniolytie jirojjerties of animal poisons 

 pivcn by Saelis, r.ioelieiii. Centrallilatt, IHOG (.ij. 257; No-ruclii, Jour. Kxp. Med., 

 1907 (!)). 4:m. 



77a Cruicksliank also found tliat. oilier ]i])oids tlian lecitliin niav activate eobra 

 venom (Jour. Patli. and IJaet., 1013 (17), 019). 



78 See Kyea, Jour. Infeet. Dis., 1910 (7), 181: v. Dun,u:erii and Coea. ihiiJ.. 1912 

 (10), 57 ; "Manwarinj:. Zeit. Immunitiit., 1910 ((5), r)i:{; I?aii;r, ihid.. I'.Hi) (S), 

 202; Coca, Jour. Infect. Dis., 1915 (17), 351. 



