STAPHYLOLYSINE. 139 



of bacterial toxines. Fortunately in this case, unlike that of the 

 streptococci, for example, definite results have been yielded by 

 the latest researches. 



As regards the earlier investigations only three are really of importance. 

 RODET and COURMONT 1 discovered in cultivations of staphylococci an im- 

 munising substance precipitable by alcohol. REiCHEL,' 2 who made a closer 

 study of the problem, was able, by filtration of cultivations of Staphylo- 

 coccus pyogenes aureits, to isolate a specific poison, which was, however, not 

 very toxic, and against the action of which immunity could be obtained. 



MOSNY and MARCANO 3 found that staphylococci were slightly poisonous, 

 and, on injection, produced an antitoxine. 



We know now that Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus produces 

 two specific poisons, one of which, leucocidine, has a poisonous 

 action on the leucocytes, whilst the other, a lysine, affects the red 

 corpuscles of the blood. 



The first to indicate briefly the existence of a staphylotoxine 

 acting on the red corpuscles, as a substance distinct from leuco- 

 cidine, was VAN DE VELDE,* and then KKAUS and CLAiRMONT. 5 

 This lysine was first systematically studied, however, in Ehrlich's 

 Institute by N KISSER and WECHSBERG. 6 



Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus produces a blood - solvent 

 toxine, which can be detected in bouillon cultures after three to 

 four days' growth, the optimum period for its formation being 

 ten to fourteen days. The best condition for its production is in 

 the still faintly acid broth, to which has been added from a third 

 to a half of the quantity of normal alkali required for its 

 complete neutralisation. It can be separated by filtration. 



The capacity for producing lysine varies very greatly with the 

 different species of staphylococci, and apparently, as is also the 

 case with the true toxines, stands in no direct ratio with regard 

 to its virulence for man. The true pyogenic species, albus and 

 aureus, invariably produce it, but there are numerous other non- 

 pathogenic species that produce no lysine. The quantity of 



1 Rodet and Courmont, " De 1'existence . . . dans des cultures du 

 staphylocoque d'une substance vaccinante," Comptes Rend., cxiii., 432, 1891. 



2 Reichel, " Ueb. Immunitat gegen das Virus von Eiterkokken," Arch. 

 /. Uin. Chirurg., xlii., 237, 1891. 



3 Mosny and Marcano, " De Faction de la toxine du staphyl. pyog.," 

 Sent. Med., 1894, 544^ 



4 Van de Velde, ' ' Etude s. 1. mecanisme de virulence du staphylocoque 

 pyogene," La Cellule, x. ; id., "Contribution a 1'immunite des lapins centre 

 le Staphylocoque," Ann. Past., x., 580, 1896. 



5 Kraus and Clairmont, " Ueber Hamolysine u. Antihamolysine." Wien. 

 Tdin. Woch., 1890, 49. 



6 Neisser and Wechsberg, "Ueber das Staphylotoxin," Zeit. /. Hyg., 

 xxxvi., 299, 1901. 



