ANTITOXINS 21 



antitoxin is produced by the same set of cells whose 

 injury by the toxin gives rise to the particular 

 clinical symptoms. Thus we might believe that 

 although in tetanus the cells of the central nervous 

 s}rstem give rise to the characteristic symptoms, cells 

 entirely apart from these, e.g., in the bone marrow, 

 might be the main source of the antitoxin. The 

 fact that we appreciate symptoms from only one 

 organ is, obviously, no proof that other tissues 

 have been unaffected. 



It may be well here to call attention to another 

 rather common misconception regarding the pro- 

 duction of antitoxin, namely that the body cells 

 have to become educated, so to speak, to produce 

 the- antitoxin. This, it is believed, is effected by 

 giving gradually increasing doses of toxin. As a 

 matter of fact the reason for this gradual increase 

 in the dose injected is quite different. The object 

 in view is the administration of an enormously 

 large dose of toxin, one that will engage the recep- 

 tors of many cells. The previous injections have 

 brought about some production of antitoxin and 

 this partially neutralizes some of the toxin in- 

 jected, making it possible to give a larger dose than 

 before. If one gives at the outset a large amount of 

 toxin, partially neutralized by antitoxin, one will 

 produce an amount of antitoxin equal to that 

 ordinarily obtained in response to the same quan- 

 tity of unaltered toxin given as the tenth or 



