448 HJEMOLYSINS AND ALLIED BODIES 



ox or goat (which contain no endo-complement), no haemolysis 

 will result, unless some complement (normal serum, lecithin, 

 certain erythrocytes, &c.) be also added. If, however, snake 

 venom and complement (i.e. serum or erythrocytes containing 

 endo-complement) be mixed together so that there is a large excess 

 of amboceptors in the mixture, then the erythrocytes will not 

 undergo haemolysis. This is due to deviation (ablenkung) of the 

 complement, all the complement available for the activation of the 

 erythrocyte-amboceptor compound having become united with 

 those amboceptors which are floating free and are not anchored 

 to the erythrocyte. The complement and amboceptor become 

 united, but the combine cannot become fixed to the erythrocyte. 



Deviation of the complement was first noticed by Neisser and 

 Wechsberg in certain bactericidal sera. Such a result could not 

 be explained on Bordet's theory. If we follow Kye's work further, 

 we find that the complement, which unites with the venomous 

 amboceptor, is the complex fat lecithin, for if a chloroformic 

 solution of lecithin be shaken for two hours with cobra venom 

 and treated as described in the footnote * a chemical compound, 

 viz. cobra-lecithid, is formed, which is actively hsemolytic towards 

 ox's erythrocytes. The presence of this compound furnishes 

 a further argument against Bordet's theory. 



For a full discussion on the two theories see Hans Sachs ( 5 ). 



The next question of interest is whether the amboceptor and 

 complement are simple or compound bodies. 



Taking the amboceptor first ; is the amboceptor, produced, 

 for example, by the injection of ox's blood into a series of 

 animals, always exactly the same; or does it vary in nature 

 according to the animal in which it is produced ? Ehrlich and 

 Morgenroth hold the latter view, and ascribe this difference in 



1 The snake venom and chloroformic solution of lecithin are shaken for two 

 hours, the mixture then centrifugalised and the chloroformic and watery solu- 

 tions separately pipetted off. Ether is then added to the chloroformic solution, 

 when a precipitate of cobra-lecithid is thrown down. This is soluble in water, and 

 after being freed of adherent lecithin by washing with ether is capable of pro- 

 ducing the immediate haemolysis of ox's erythrocytes. In its chemical reactions 

 it is quite different from lecithin. 



