^0X-A.\TI(1E\1C /'O/.S'O.V.S' 245 



creased resistance to the action of saponin cxliibited by tlie serum of 

 immunized animals, which he attributes to an increased amount of 

 cholesterol, })erhaps liberated by the corpuscles decomposed by the 

 injected poison, or perhaps produced in excess by the tissues. Wohlge- 

 muth ^ has also suggested that in the ease of poisoning with large 

 amounts of substances which combine with glycuronic acid (e. g., 

 lysol), excessive quantities of this substance are formed by the cells 

 and excreted into the blood, where they neutralize the poisons in much 

 the same manner as the antitoxins neutralize toxins. 



But besides these scanty examples of tolerance to poisons, the body 

 possesses a number of methods for opposing many other poisons with 

 more or less success; and, poisons invariably acting chemically, the 

 defenses are in turn largely chemical. We have elsewhere referred to 

 the destructive action of the enzymes of the digestive tract upon bac- 

 terial and similar poisons; this means of defense cannot apply to 

 non-protein chemical substances except possibly glucosides and toxic 

 lipoids. But the acidity of the gastric juice, the alkalinity of the 

 bile and pancreatic juice, and the precipitating effect of the hydrogen 

 sulphide formed in intestinal putrefaction are all factors that help 

 to neutralize or prevent the absorption of certain poisons, their total 

 efficiency, however, being on the whole very slight. After absorption 

 of a poison a large series of chemical reactions and physiological 

 processes is brought into playj and there are few poisons indeed whose 

 harmful influence is not more or less decreased by these means. 

 Robert "' classifies these protective processes as follows : 



1. Rapid elimination, either before absorption by means of diar- 

 rhea and vomiting, or by the same means after absorption in case 

 the poisons are excreted into the digestive tract (e. g., morphine, 

 venoms, antimony, and many other metals). ^Nlany poisons are very 

 rapidly eliminated bj^ other routes {e. g., anesthetics, curare), in some 

 instances causing harm, particularly to the eliminating organ {e. g., 

 kidneys in phenol poisoning, intestines in ricin poisoning). The 

 routes and conditions of elimination of poisons have been fully dis- 

 cussed by Lewin.*' 



2. Deposition and Fixation in Single Organs or Tissues. — In this 

 i-espect the liver is especially important, probably because of its loca- 

 tion and function as a filter for all the blood coming fresh from the 

 alimentary tract.' The manner and means by which this fixation is 

 brought about are unknown. It is possible that the power of the 

 tissues to bind poisons may become increa.sed by repeated doses, lead- 



4 Biochem. Zeitsehr., 1906 (1). 1.34. 



5 "Lelnlnicli der Intoxikationon." Stutt;jart. 



6 Dent. med. Woch., inoo (32), 10!): see also Mendol ct <il.. Amor. .lour. Phvsiol., 

 1004 (11). .5; 1906 (16), 147 and 152. 



" Concerning the detoxicatinsr function of tlie liver see Woronzow. Dissertation, 

 Dorpat. 1910: Rothberger and Winter])erg, Arcli. intcrnat. rimrniacodvn., 1905 

 (15), 339. 



