72 



PROPERTIES OF H^MOLYTIC SERA 



therefore, contains only immune-body ; it is accordingly 

 inactive until complement (i. e. normal serum) is added. 



In the first place, we may give in tabular form the average 

 dosage of the several complements with the different immune 

 sera : the test amount of corpuscles being 1 c.c. of a 5 per 

 cent, suspension in 0-8 per cent, sodium chloride solution. 



This table shows that in the cases studied the highest 

 dosage of the complement of an animal occurs when used 

 against its own corpuscles. 



Dosage of Immune-bodies with different Complements. 



The most striking facts brought out in this table concern 

 the relative doses of immune-bodies with rabbit's and 

 guinea-pig's complements respectively. They are : (a) in the 

 case of an immune-body acting on the corpuscles of another 

 animal (viz. ox's corpuscles), its dose with rabbit's comple- 



1 The normal serum of the ox has a strong hsemolytic action both on 

 rabbit's and on guinea-pig's corpuscles. This is due to the presence of a 

 natural immune-body, and it is not possible to remove this in the usual 

 way by placing the serum in contact with the corpuscles at C. We 

 have, however, made allowance for this circumstance, and the dosage of 

 complement has been calculated accordingly, and may be taken as sub- 

 stantially correct. 



8 We have not succeeded in getting a satisfactory estimation of the dose 

 of this immune-body with ox's complement, owing to failure to remove 

 the natural immune-body for guinea-pig's corpuscles in the ox's serum. 



