TOXINS FROM MUSHROOMS. 51 



sequence, as it occurs in 80 per cent, or more of the 

 cases. The poisoning by the alkaloids is less dan- 

 gerous, and the cure, when it does occur, is very 

 rapid, almost immediate, in fact, while in the case 

 of the toxic albuminoids the cure is very slow, and 

 attended by relapses. 



One characteristic of these toxalbumins is that 

 they are apt to develop specific an ti toxalbumins. 

 This fact has been verified not only in the case of 

 abrin, ricin, robin, and their analogues, but also 

 in that of the vegetable and animal diastases possess- 

 ing toxic properties even in the slightest degree 

 only. These antibodies generally exhibit their 

 action in vitro. Thus antiricin exerts its anti- 

 agglutinative action on the erythrocytes in vitro 

 in a saline medium in which the erythrocytes cannot 

 live. 



Here, again, as in the case of the antitoxins, it 

 must be admitted that the antitoxalbumin possesses 

 a specific affinity by virtue of which it unites 

 chemically with the toxalbumin to give rise to a 

 new substance which is devoid of toxicity. 



The first antidiastase obtained by immunization 

 methods, and according to the mechanism we have 

 already seen, was antiemulsin, obtained by Hilde- 

 brandt.* This antiemulsin counteracts, both in 



* HILDEBRANDT: Weiteres uber hydrolyt. Fennente, etc. 

 Virch. Arch., cxxxi, 1895, P- 5- 



