468 ILEMOLYSINS AND ALLIED BODIES 



by inoculation ; we may, therefore, for the sake of argument, 

 represent it as always present. When F comes in contact with 

 H the following reaction will ensue 



HR -- R'F 



The amboceptors R and R' each with two valency bonds, one 

 of which, in each case, is saturated with C and the others com- 

 bining together are therefore rendered functionless for the cells 

 H and F, and are reproduced by these cells in excess, so that 

 they come to float free in the blood plasma, in which will, there- 



C C 

 fore, be found two mutually antagonistic groups / 



R and R', 



both incapable of anchoring on to the cell which produced them, 

 but capable of uniting together or with receptors of the opposing 

 cell. If these groups be in equal amount, a neutral body represented 



C C 

 by the formula / \ will be formed, and no linkage of 



R R' 



F to H will be possible. If either should be produced in excess 

 of the other, however, damage of the opposing cell will ensue ; 



C C 



thus, if / be in excess, it will anchor on to \ and F 



R R'F, 



will be destroyed. By such a conception, the production of anti- 

 haemolysins, &c., can be explained; these being represented by 



\ the free combining group of R' uniting with the free group 



R' 



of R, and thereby preventing its union with the erythrocytes. 

 (See also Arrhenius's explanation on p. 471.) Such a formula would 

 require modification for antitoxins, since in this case no ambo- 

 ceptors, but only a simple receptor, unites the toxin to the celL 

 The formula representing the action of toxin T on a cell H would 

 stand H - R - T, and the anti-toxin would be R, which, combining 

 with the available affinity of T, would neutralise it and prevent 

 its action. The toxin being no living cell, cannot regenerate its 

 lost receptors. 



It has been stated above that the process of haemolysis is ana- 

 logous with that of bacteriolysis, and that it is by the latter process 

 that the tissue fluids destroy invading bacteria. Such a view has 



