DEVIATION OF COMPLEMENT 143 



shown that many, but not all, complements are taken up by the 

 combination of a serum with its anti-serum. 



Another point worthy of note is that we have observed 

 an apparent variation in the firmness of union of the com- 

 plement deviated. This is indicated by the manner in 

 which the lysis progresses when the test corpuscles are 

 added ; in some cases the lysis comes to an end after an 

 hour or an hour and a half at 37 C., in others it continues 

 to increase, as if the complement were being separated from 

 the combination of serum -|- anti-serum molecules. For 

 example, with the anti-serum rabbit v. ox along with the 

 homologous serum, the combination of guinea-pig's com- 

 plement appeared to be firmer than that of rabbit's com- 

 plement, whereas with the anti-serum rabbit v. man the 

 converse was the case. The results, in short, point to the 

 possibility in some cases of complement becoming dis- 

 sociated from the combination serum + anti-serum, or, in 

 other words, the deviation of complement may exhibit 

 varying degrees of permanency. 



3. DEVIATING POWER AS COMPARED WITH 

 H^MOLYTIC ACTION 



As already stated, the union of the molecules in the anti- 

 serum with those in the homologous serum leads to the 

 taking up of complement. In this we have a close analogy 

 to what occurs in the case of a haemolytic serum, where by 

 the union of the receptors of the red corpuscles with immune- 

 body, complement enters into combination, this combina- 

 tion, as has been shown, being generally of firm nature. 

 Apparently then, when a serum is injected into an animal, 

 there are formed molecules which are the homologues of 

 immune-bodies. The amount of serum along with its anti- 



they did so when ox's corpuscles -f immune-body were used. In fact, if 

 we substitute anti-serum to guinea-pig's serum for immune-body to 

 guinea-pig's corpuscles the results coincide in the two cases. 



