ANTIBODY OF INTESTINAL WORMS. 491 



markedly inhibitory action on tryptic digestion. The alcoholic filtrate 

 can be evaporated to dryness on the water-bath and the residue still 

 retains its activity. From this weak alcoholic filtrate a further scanty 

 precipitate can be thrown down by the addition of more alcohol. This 

 precipitate is intensely active ; its aqueous solutions react to heat in acid 

 and alkaline media just as does the original worm juice. Practically 

 the whole of the antibody is precipitated by this strength of alcohol 

 (85 / ), since the filtrate from it is almost inactive. By the addition of 

 ether to this filtrate another precipitate is obtained, but this is inactive ; 

 it probably represents merely the carbohydrate element in the worm 

 juice. 



From the foregoing observations the antibody appears to be a definite 

 chemical entity of no very great complexity. It is readily diffusible, 

 very thermostabile in acid solution, but easily destroyed when rendered 

 alkaline, resembling in this respect such a substance as, say, secretin. 

 Like some of the vegetable albumoses it requires a high concentration 

 of alcohol to precipitate it from solution. It is possible that in structure 

 the antibody may prove to be of the same order of complexity as some 

 of the amino-acids. To this point, however, I hope to revert in a future 

 paper. 



SUMMARY. 



1. The antibody in the tissue juices of intestinal worms is anti- 

 tryptic in its action as stated by Weinland and not antikinasic as 

 Dastre and Stassano assert. 



2. The antibody, in neutral or acid extracts of intestinal worms, is 

 uninjured by boiling ; if, however, the extracts be made even faintly 

 alkaline their anti-action is immediately destroyed on boiling. 



3. The antibody is soluble in weak alcohol, but is precipitated when 

 the concentration is increased to 85 / . The precipitate dissolves easily 

 in water and the resulting solution strongly inhibits the proteolytic 

 activities of pancreatic juice. The antibody diffuses readily through 

 colloid membranes. 



