MENINGITIS SERUM. 561 



cerebrospinal fluid does not contain opsonin for 

 meningococci. 



In 1906, antimeningitis serum was prepared in sernm 

 this country by Flexner and in Germany by Kolle Thera y- 

 and Wassermann and Jochmann. The report of 

 Kolle and Wassermann was the first to appear. It 

 was quickly followed by that of Jochmann and 

 later by that of Flexner. 



Flexner prepared his serum as follows : Horses 

 were inoculated subcutaneously with one-fourth of 

 a sheep's serum agar slant culture of meningococci 

 which had been killed by heating to 60 C. for 

 thirty minutes. The dose was doubled at each 

 subsequent injection until an amount equal to 

 four test-tube growths could be given at intervals 

 of from five to seven days. Alternate injections 

 of living organisms and autolyzate of organisms 

 were then given at seven-day intervals, in increas- 

 ing doses until large quantities were given. The 

 serum prepared in this way contains bacteriolytic 

 amboceptors, opsonins, agglutinins and comple- 

 ment-fixation antibodies. It has also an antitoxic 

 action on toxic autolyzates of meningococci. 



Nearly all the above-named antibodies have been standard- 

 used to estimate the therapeutic value of the 

 serum. Jochmann, and Kolle and Wassermann 

 estimated the strength of antimeningitis serum by 

 the protection afforded mice and guinea-pigs 

 against live meningococci. The method is unsatis- 

 factory because of the difference of virulence of 

 various strains of meningococci. Jobling con- 

 cludes that the estimation of the dilution of the 

 serum at which opsonic action is still present gives 

 the best indication as to the value of the serum. 

 "As a definite and suitable standard of strength 



