394 BACTERIOLOGY. 



against the disease by preventive treatment. 

 The blood of animals protected with iodine ter- 

 chloride imparts immunity to healthy animals 

 and cures animals already affected. In this 

 case the notion that any specific antitoxins are 

 formed is entirely without justification ; the 

 action may depend only upon some general 

 protective power that is acquired, or upon a 

 quantitative intensification of the defensive 

 power already existing, that is, upon the ren- 

 dering active of the cells and the active pro- 

 teids of the body fluids. 



Although many negative experiments with 

 other bacteria have been made, yet the positive 

 results already obtained are sufficient to make 

 clear the falsity of the ordinary one-sided in- 

 terpretation of " specific" protective inocula- 

 tion and habituation to poison. 



General metabolic influences also may simu- 

 late specific immunization. Von Fodor has 

 shown that the resistant power of rabbits to 

 anthrax infection is increased by the subcu- 

 taneous addition of alkalies to the blood and 

 Kurt Miiller has shown that the resistant 

 power of white rats to anthrax is exalted by 

 the subcutaneous injection of meat extract. 

 We may hence justifiably infer that it is pos- 

 sible by suitable nourishment together with a 

 flushing of the body by bodily exercise to 



