12 PROPERTIES OF HJSMOLYTIC SERA 



ON THE DISSOCIATION OF IMMUNE-BODY FROM RED 

 CORPUSCLES 



That the immune-body can be separated from red 

 corpuscles after combination, was shown independently by 

 Morgenroth x and myself. The method is to bring red 

 corpuscles, sensitized with multiple doses of immune-body, 

 into contact with fresh corpuscles, and then after a suitable 

 interval of time to add complement and to observe the 

 degree of lysis which occurs. In the original experiments 

 I brought the sensitized and the fresh corpuscles into close 

 contact by means of centrifugalization ; but this is unneces- 

 sary, although the passage of the immune-body to the 

 fresh corpuscles takes place more readily than when the 

 corpuscles are simply suspended. The phenomenon can 

 readily be demonstrated in the following manner : 1 c.c. 

 of 5 per cent, suspension of red corpuscles is treated with 

 ten haemolytic doses of immune-body (rabbit v. ox) ; after 

 being allowed to remain at the temperature of the room 

 for an hour, the corpuscles are centrifugalized and the fluid 

 is pipetted off, and then they are washed several times in 

 salt solution and resuspended. All the immune-body is 

 thus in combination with the red corpuscles. Another cubic 

 centimetre of suspension of untreated corpuscles is then 

 added, and the contents of the tube are thoroughly shaken 

 up : the tube is then placed in an incubator at 37 C. for an 

 hour. A sufficient quantity of complement, say four 

 hsemolytic doses, is then added and the tube is returned to 

 the incubator. It will be found that lysis occurs in all the 

 corpuscles, thus demonstrating that immune-body has 

 passed from the sensitized to the untreated corpuscles. 

 I have found that in the case of the immune serum, rabbit 

 v. ox, the corpuscles treated with twelve haemolytic doses 

 of immune-body will usually give up two hsemolytic doses 

 1 Morgenroth, M unchen. Med. Wochenschr., 1903, no. 2. 



