10 COLLECTED STUDIES IN IMMUNITY. 



-series of higher plants. For example, the tentacles of Drosera, which 

 may be regarded as grasping arms in the widest sense, secrete a strong 

 digesting fluid. 



If, then, we see that lysin action does not occur with toxins, but 

 only when the contents of cells are absorbed, be these bacteria or 

 blood-cells, we must conclude that in the latter case large-moleculed 

 albuminous substances are concerned. These are much more complex 

 in structure than the toxins, which represent mere cell secretions. 

 For the assimilation of the highly complex bodies we therefore assume 

 the existence of side-chains of a peculiar kind. These, besides their 

 combining group, possess another group which by fixation with 

 special ferments causes the digestion of the complex substances. If, 

 by means of the immunizing process, one succeeds in having a surplus 

 of these side-chains produced, they will be produced with both these 

 functional groups and thrust off into the blood as immune body. 

 This explains the wonderful contrivance whereby the injection of a 

 bacterium is followed by the production of a substance which destroys 

 this bacterium by dissolving it. This phenomenon is nothing but 

 the reproduction of a process of normal cell life. 



