ON ANTI-IMMUNE-BODIES 101 



stating also that the results showed that the various immune- 

 bodies from the same species had a similar complementophile 

 apparatus. The thoretical bearings of the facts established, 

 will, however, be discussed later. 



As the subject appeared to us to be of high importance, we 

 have repeated the various experiments, and have in addition 

 studied the combining properties of anti-immune-bodies by 

 quantitative methods. We have especially inquired whether 

 the combination of anti-immune-body can thus be demon- 

 strated even when its action in preventing lysis of red 

 corpuscles is not apparent, and have found this to be the case. 

 In this connection we have been forced to consider certain 

 circumstances which influence the occurrence of lysis, and 

 have carried out observations on the effect produced by 

 altering the medium of suspension of the red corpuscles. 

 The investigation thus consisted of two main parts, viz. (1) a 

 preliminary part, dealing with the dosage of complement in 

 different media, which has been recorded above (p. 62), and 

 (2) a part dealing with the main subject of the investiga- 

 tion, viz. anti-immune-bodies. 



The methods employed are those described in previous 

 sections and need not be repeated. The test quantity of 

 corpuscles generally used was half the usual amount, viz. 

 0- 5 c.c. of a 5 per cent, suspension of washed corpuscles in 0-85 

 per cent, salt solution. The anti-immune-body was obtained 

 by injecting guinea-pigs with the serum of the normal rabbit, 

 a guinea-pig of about 500 grams receiving two intraperitoneal 

 injections of from 4 to 6 c.c. on two occasions, with an interval 

 of ten days between, and then being killed about ten days after 

 the last injection. Several guinea-pigs were thus treated at 

 the same time, and the various sera were mixed together and 

 heated at 55 C. to deprive them of complement. The 

 immune-body in most cases is that obtained by injecting 

 rabbits with ox's corpuscles freed from serum by washing in 

 salt solution. In some experiments we also used an anti- 



