VII 



ANTIBACTERIAL SERA 



It has been experimentally possible to produce 

 antibacterial sera for a much larger number of organ- 

 isms than antitoxic sera, though in the case of none of 

 them have such brilliant therapeutic results been ob- 

 tained as in the case of diphtheria and tetanus anti- 

 toxin. Yet in infections by a few organisms, notably 

 the staphylococcus, streptococcus, pneumococcus, gon- 

 ococcus, meningococcus, typhoid bacillus, colon bacil- 

 lus, dysentery bacillus, cholera vibrio, plague bacillus 

 and anthrax bacillus, antibacterial sera of consider- 

 able therapeutic value have been produced. 



Antistaj^hylococcic Serum, — Various attempts 

 have been made on horses and other animals to pro- 

 duce a potent antistaphylococcic sermn, but they have 

 almost invariably resulted unsuccessfully, although 

 Doyen and Paltchikowsky assert that they have suc- 

 ceeded partially. Schorer states that the value of the 

 serum is inconsiderable, and its injection in the treat- 

 ment of staphylococcus infections is seldom or never 

 warranted. Such noted authorities as Ehrlich, Bordet 

 and Citron omit even to mention, in their works on 

 immunity, the existence of antistaphylococcic serum. 

 The failure, or only partial success, in producing 



55 



