320 PROTEIN POISONS 



pressure has fallen to the lowest limit the further adminis- 

 tration of the peptone or poison is without effect. 



Edmunds closes his studies with the following conclu- 

 sions: "The toxic portion of the split protein molecule as 

 described by Vaughan and Wheeler produces in dogs when 

 injected intravenously the same symptoms as are seen in 

 these animals when suffering from acute anaphylactic 

 shock. An analysis of the changes shows the same rapid 

 fall in blood pressure due mainly to paralysis of the vaso- 

 motor endings of the splanchnic nerves. The blood does 

 not accumulate at the time of the fall in pressure in the 

 intestines or kidneys, but is drained from them into the 

 liver, and probably into the large abdominal veins. There 

 is no evidence of a constriction of the pulmonary vessels, 

 nor of lack of blood to the left side of the heart. In these 

 points the action of the protein poison agrees with the 

 changes described in anaphylactic shock, but whereas with 

 the latter the ability of the blood to coagulate may be lost, 

 this is not affected by the split product." 



General Physiological Action of Proteins. Schittenhelm 

 and Weichardt 1 conclude a study of this subject as follows: 

 The compound proteins, as such, are relatively inactive. 

 In the doses employed they give rise to no symptoms and 

 do not affect blood pressure. Their components (the 

 globulins, histons, and protamins) are highly poisonous 

 compared with the native simple proteins. They cause a 

 marked fall in blood-pressure, delay blood coagulation, 

 influence respiration and temperature, and in small doses 

 may cause death. This is true even when they are of 

 homologous origin. From the composition of the protamins 

 and histons it has been inferred that their poisonous action 

 is connected in some way with their large diamino acid 

 content, but the globins do not contain a large amount of 

 these acids. On the other hand, as has been stated, the 

 kyrins contain a large amount of diamino acids and are 

 not so poisonous as the protamins and histons. It should 



1 Zeitsch. f. Immunitatsforschung, 1912, xiv, 609. 



