86 POISONOUS PROTEINS 



rately. Some digest proteins, such as gelatine, 

 quickly while others are less prompt and others 

 still have no recognizable effect on this protein. 

 They are easily affected by the presence of 

 certain nonprotein substances, especially car- 

 bohydrates. The ferments of the body cells are 

 not so easily obtained and are more difficult of 

 study. However, both the intra- and extra- 

 cellular ferments of the polymorphonuclear 

 corpuscles have been studied in some detail and 

 their destructive action on certain bacteria has 

 been demonstrated. The germicidal action of 

 the blood and its serum has been demonstrated 

 on various species of bacteria. 



It may be well to point out som,e differences 

 between intra- and extracellular ferments. The 

 latter are comparable to the enzymes of the ali- 

 mentary canal. Their function is solely a lytic 

 one. They break up complex proteins into sim- 

 pler bodies, but these without further treat- 

 ment are not ready to be built into the cellular 

 structure. The extracellular ferments are in a 

 general way destructive in action. The intra- 

 cellular ferments are essentially constructive. 

 They shape the rough blocks and fit them into 

 the molecular structure. In the process of in- 

 fection the intracellular ferments of the bacte- 

 rial cells are most active. The soluble, simple 



