226 TOXINES AND ANTITOXINES. 



that on the addition of ether practically no lecithin is dissolved. 

 This compound has an intense haemolytic action, even at C. 

 The lecithin of the sera is more or less firmly combined with 

 albumin, so that it is necessary to heat it for varying periods 

 in order to obtain active free lecithin. The lecithin, as KYES 

 and SACHS have fully demonstrated, has no connection with the 

 true complement of sera, which is destroyed by heat. 



They found, for instance, that the true complement could be 

 destroyed by papai'n and ether ; moreover, active sera containing 

 the complement had a restrictive action upon lecithin. But it 

 would seem that the so-called endo-complements are nothing more 

 than lecithin, whose sensitiveness to heat in the blood-corpuscles 

 is a deceptive phenomenon due to its being combined with the 

 haemoglobin. Aqueous extracts of the stroma freed from haemo- 

 globin do not show this sensitiveness to heat. 



Owing to their containing lecithin, bile and heated milk, and also the 

 similarly constituted cephalin, have this stimulative effect. These sub- 

 stances have in themselves only a very slight hsemolytic action. It is 

 probable that the fatty acid group in the lecithin is the ultimate active 

 hsemolytic factor. 



Cholesterin has been found an antidote to this stimulative 

 effect of lecithin, and it has also a protective action in normal 

 sera, and, as was mentioned above, has an influence upon the 

 toxic components of snake venom (PHISALIX). It has a similar 

 antihaemolytic effect upon saponine (RANSOM J ). 



On the other hand, cholesterin has no action upon the true 

 complements of sera that stimulate activity. 



The amboceptors of cobra venom combine with lecithin in 

 accordance with quantitative laws. 



The fact mentioned by FLEXNER and NOGUCHI that all the washed 

 blood-corpuscles are not dissolved appears to be due to the removal of 

 the lecithin by too liberal washing. 



KYES 2 even succeeded in isolating these "lecithides" of cobra 

 amboceptors. The 1 per cent, solution of cobra venom was 

 shaken for two hours with a solution of the purest lecithin in 

 chloroform. On now separating the chloroform layer by rapid 

 " centrifuging," and treating it with ether, the cobra venom 

 lecithide was precipitated, while the excess of lecithin remained 

 dissolved in the ether. 



1 Ransom, "Saponin und sein Gegengift," Deutsch. med. Woch., 1901, 

 194. 



2 Kyes, " Ueber die Isolierung von Schlangengiftlecithiden, " Berl. klin. 

 Woch., 1903, Nos. 42, 43. 



