123 BACTERIOLOGY 



Should there be no syphilis present in the individual and, 

 therefore, no syphilitic antibodies in his blood, the ad- 

 dition of the germs from the syphilitic liver will not affect 

 the serum in the least, and it will proceed to activate the 

 inactivated hemolytic serum, which will then destroy 

 the red cells by hemolysis. The test is then said to be 

 negative. 



Should syphilis, however, be present, the syphilitic 

 antibodies will be bound to the syphilitic germs in the 

 fetal liver extract, and the serum thus rendered unable 

 to activate the hemolytic serum in the mixture. Hemo- 

 lysis would, therefore, not take place, and the test would 

 be positive. 



