SEROLOGY MANUFACTURE AND USE OF SERA AND VACCINES 259 



group of sera known as composite, which give evidence of being a decided 

 improvement over the simple sera. They are called composite because 

 they have the peculiar qualities of two distinct forms of immunity for 

 example, diphtheria-immune horses may be used in the subsequent bac- 

 terial inoculation, which gives the resulting immune-serum a double con- 

 tent of a corresponding antibacterial body and of diphtheric antitoxin. 

 This subject is as yet entirely in the experimental stage. It is also known 

 that one kind or type of immunity has some influence not only upon other 

 immunities, but also upon other diseases. The antitoxin of diphtheria, 

 for example, appears to act as a cure or prophylactic against pathological 

 conditions other than diphtheria. 



We now come to a third class of substances used in the treatment of 

 disease, namely, the bacterial vaccines, also designated bacterins and 

 opsonogens (Ohlmacher). The term vaccine (from Vacca, a cow) is 

 appropriately applicable to the small-pox remedy, but is entirely inappli- 

 cable to these newer agents. Either bacterin or opsonogen is a suitable 

 name. 



Bacterins are simply suspensions of dead pathogenic germs which are 

 used in the treatment of disease. A homologous or autogenous bacterin 

 is prepared from germs taken direct fr.om the patient and is used in treat- 

 ing the same patient. A hetero'ogous bacterin is one which is derived 

 from a source other than the patient under treatment. A mixed bacterin 

 is one in which the germs (of the same species) used are derived from 

 several sources. The manufactured bacterins (heterologous) ready for 

 use by the physician are called stock vaccines or stock bacterins. 



The following is a tabulation of antitoxins, toxins, antibacterial sera 

 and bacterins found upon the market and used by physicians and 

 veterinarians. 



i. For Human Use 



A. Antitoxic Sera or Antitoxins. 



Antidiphtheric serum. 



Liquid or usual form. 



Concentrated form. 



Dry form (official in some pharmacopoeias). 

 Antitetanic serum. 



Liquid or usual form. 



Dry form. 



B. Antibacterial Sera or Bactericidal Sera. 



Antistreptococcic serum. 

 Antipneumococcic serum. 

 Antimeningitic serum. 



