330 MANUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY. 



Cernovodeanu and Henri* found that the toxin is conveyed 

 by the blood. For if the veins of the part are cut, the 

 occurrence of symptoms is retarded to the same extent as by 

 section of the nerve. After section of the vein and ligation of 

 the muscles, tetanus toxin can be injected* into the limb with- 

 out causing tetanus. That part of the sciatic nerve lying in 

 the extremity of the limb in which the veins and muscles 

 are tied absorbs the toxin. 



The poison is tremendously powerful (see page 189). It 

 acts as an excitant to the motor cells of the central nervous 

 system, especially the spinal cord. Bolton and Fisch have 

 shown that horses used for the preparation of diphtheria anti- 

 toxin may be infected with tetanus, and have tetanus toxin in 

 the bloodf even before symptoms of tetanus are observed in 

 the horse. 



The activity of the poison is destroyed by heat and by direct 

 sunlight; various chemicals diminish its intensity. 



As shown by Noguchi,J the effects of certain photodynamic 

 substances upon ferments, toxins, and protoplasma have been 

 quite extensively studied. Flexner and Noguchi repeated 

 and extended the work of others in this direction upon tetanus 

 toxin, and found that eosin in the strength of i per cent, solu- 

 tion destroys tetanospasmin quickly in the dark. When eosin 

 and tetanus toxin were injected at different places in the body 

 but simultaneously delayed the onset of the symptoms and 

 porlonged the course of the disease though it did not actually 

 prevent the fatal termination. Noguchi|| found that the in- 

 jection of eosin "gelb" is more powerful than eosin "rein." 

 The first effect on the organism is to suppress sporulation and 



*Comptes Rend. Soc. Biol. V. XLIL p. 812. May 4, 1907. Abst. 

 Bull de I'Inst. Past. Vol. V., No. 18, Sept. 30, 1907. p. 804. 

 f Transactions oj the Association American Physicians. 1902. 

 iJourn. Eocper. Med. Vol. I. 1906. pp. 252-267. 

 <Journ. Exper. Med. Vol. VIII. 1906. pp. 1-7. 



'\\Loc. ciL Vol. No. 3. May 25, 1907. pp. 291-297. -Eben. pp. 281- 

 290. 



