OTHER CYTOTOXINS. 



301 



Nenrotoxins. 



confirmed. Yet whatever may be their real value 

 they serve to emphasize the possibility that those 

 principles which are so important in relation to 

 immunity against infectious diseases, may be 

 equally important in relation to other pathologic 

 conditions. 



Hepatotoxins have been obtained by a number Hepato _ 

 of workers, and the attempt has been made to pro- 

 duce autohepatotoxins by injecting liver tissue of 

 the guinea-pig into animals of the same species. 

 The success was not unqualified. Hepatotoxins 

 when injected are reported to cause insular degen- 

 erations of the liver; however, the lesions may be 

 caused, in part at least, by capillary emboli of en- 

 dothelial cells or erythrocytes. 



Xeurotoxic serums have been studied with some 

 thoroughness. Whether one injects the cerebrum, 

 cerebellum or spinal cord, the resulting serums 

 apparently are similar; either an anticerebral or 

 an anticerebellar serum will cause degenerations 

 of the spinal ganglion cells. In view of their 

 broad range of action it seems improbable that 

 neurotoxic serums will be of service in clearing up 

 the etiology of system degenerations of the nervou's 

 tracts. They are usually hemolytic and hemag- 

 glutinating and may also be endotheliotoxic and 

 leucotoxic. When mixed with emulsions of the 

 homologous brain tissue the neurotoxic ambocep- 

 tors are bound by the receptors of the nervous tis- 

 sue, and the serum consequently loses its toxicity. 

 Antineurotoxic serums have been described. 



Sync} r taolysin is the name given to a serum which 

 is obtained by immunization with the placenta, 

 Certain writers (Veit and Scholten, Charrin and Eclam sia - 

 Delamare) report that the injection of placentar 



