140 CLINICAL BACTERIOLOGY AND 



being a series of established specific phenomena of the 

 presence of the disease itself. 



On the other hand, if a liberal liberation of receptors 

 rapidly follows, one would expect that Nature's efforts to 

 neutralize the toxin would take place. 



In 1890 Behring immunized rabbits by inoculating them 

 first with 0*3 c.c. of virulent culture (filtrated), and then in- 

 jecting them with 3 c.c. of a 1 per cent, iodine solution. Such 

 subjects later withstood the effects of a 10 c.c. injection of 

 virulent culture, while 0*5 c.c. of the same culture killed 

 control rabbits. Moreover, they also survived twenty times 

 the fatal dose of toxin, while 0*2 c.c. of their blood-serum 

 protected them against a virulent infection given twenty- 

 four hours later. These experiments laid the founda- 

 tion upon which serum-therapy as a prophylactic and 

 curative method was built. 



Behring adopted the following method in making his 

 vaccine serum : He took a virulent broth culture of the 

 bacillus, and in 80 c.c. he mixed 0"25 per cent, trichloride 

 of iodine; 60 c.c, 0*175 per cent, iodine; 40 c.c, 0*125 per 

 cent. ; while he retained another 20 c.c. which he used 

 without mixing at all. He then injected subcutaneously 

 into the horse the most attenuated culture first, and pro- 

 ceeded with the others at intervals of eight days. 



Finally he injected the pure culture, 0*5 c.c, doubling the 

 dose every five days. 



After the lapse of a given time the animal was bled, and 

 its serum obtained in the usual way. 



An animal injected with an immune serum lasts from 

 three to four weeks. The serum may be administered 

 subcutaneously, intravenously, or intracranially, and as such 

 possesses antitoxic properties. 



For reasons already explained, the action of antitetanic 

 serum as a curative agent has considerable limitations, and 

 in veterinary practice, at least, its usefulness is mainly 

 prophylactic 



Where we have contused wounds or injuries, caused by 



