ABRINE. 203 



application of therapeutic serum, even in very severe cases. The 

 subcutaneous introduction of large doses also has a therapeutic 

 action. The local immunity of the eyes lasts longer than the 

 general immunity. 1 



Properties of Abrine. Experiments to obtain an insight into 

 the constitution of abrine have been made by HAUSMANN, 2 who 

 has applied to this toxine the method used by JACOBY for ricine 

 (q.v.). 



Abrine is precipitated by saturating its solution with am- 

 monium sulphate to the extent of 60 per cent., and can be 

 freed from part of the proteid thrown down with it by repeated 

 precipitation. Abrine thus purified has a very energetic toxic 

 action, so much so that animals frequently die before the appear- 

 ance of necroses and intestinal symptoms. 



Abrine resembles ricine in resisting the action of trypsin. 

 Hence it was found possible, as in the case of ricine, to obtain 

 a preparation which, while possessing a high degree of toxic 

 power, no longer gave the biuret reaction. 



On the other hand, its agglutinating power is very much more 

 resistant to the action of pepsin-hydrochloric acid than is that of 

 ricine (q.v.), and when the action of the enzyme is very energetic 

 the toxic and agglutinating functions eventually disappear almost 

 simultaneously. 



With this exception there is nothing special to be said with 

 regard to the chemical reactions of abrine ; so far as is known 

 it behaves in exactly the same manner as ricine in this respect. 

 According to CALMETTE S it is rendered inactive by iodine tincture, 

 gold chloride, and hypochlorites. 



It is apparently but little affected by the digestive fluids. 

 H ELLIN, alone, has found that it is destroyed by the enzymes 

 of the intestine. On the other hand, according to NENCKI and 

 ScHOUMOW-SiMANOWSKi 4 pepsin has no influence upon abrine. 



In like manner it was found by REPiN 5 that the diluted 

 digestive fluids and also the living mucous membrane of the 

 stomach and intestine and the intestinal bacteria were inactive. 

 He is inclined to believe that the smaller toxic effects on intro- 

 duction of the poison per os, which, according to HENSEVAL (loc. 



1 Rehns, "Immunite acquise centre 1'abrine," Soc. Biol., Ivi., 329, 1904. 



' 2 Hausmann, "Zur Kenntnis des Abrins," Hofm. Beitr., ii., 134, 1901. 



3 Calmette and Del^arde, "Sur les toxines non-microbiennes," Ann. 

 Past., x., 675, 1896. 



4 Nencki and Schoumow-Simanowski, "Die Entgiftung d. Toxine d. d. 

 Verdauungskanal," Centralbl. f. Bakt., xxiii., 840, 1898. 



5 Repin, "Sur 1'absorption de 1'abrine par les muqueuses " Ann. Past., 

 ix., 517, 1895. 



