218 Chapter VIII 



With the help of the facts I have here summarised, we arrive at 

 the following conclusion. In the animal that is immunised against 

 the cholera vibrio, microcytase is found in the peritoneal exudation ; 

 it does not pass, however, either into the fluid of the passive oedema 

 or into the aqueous humour of the eye ; the cholera fixative is 

 found in the peritoneal fluid and passes into the oedema, but 

 does not penetrate into the fluid of the eye. This indicates that 

 microcytase is found in fluids rich in leucocytes, but is absent from 

 those which contain very few or none of these cells. 



The introduction of vibrios into the peritoneal cavity of immunised 

 guinea-pigs at once produces Pfeiffer's phenomenon, and at the same 

 time causes the disappearance of the majority of the leucocytes from 

 the peritoneal lymph. We have already had occasion, several times, 

 to speak of this phagolysis, because it is produced as a sequel to the 

 injection into the peritoneal cavity of blood, spermatic fluid, and all 

 kinds of fluids. The greater the quantity of fluid injected and the 

 greater the difference of the temperature between it and the contents 

 of the normal peritoneum the more vigorous is phagolysis. 



Pierallini 1 , working in my laboratory, studying phagolysis in the 

 peritoneal cavity of the guinea-pig, has obtained several results 

 worthy of attention. Of all the fluids used by him, such as water, 

 broth, filtered cultures of micro-organisms and physiological saline 

 [230] solution, the last of these caused the least intense phagolysis, yet 

 one sufficiently well marked. Immediately after the injection of any 

 of the above fluids the number of leucocytes in the peritoneal lymph 

 diminishes very considerably, the cells being found collected in 

 clumps on the omentum. Many of them exhibit signs of enfeeble- 

 ment and of partial destruction. Alongside the leucocytes are found 

 fibrinous masses, this affording evidence that some of the leucocytes 

 have been greatly damaged and have given up the fibrin-ferment 

 which induces coagulation of the fibrin. When Pierallini injected 

 fluids containing coloured powders in suspension, such as Indian ink 

 and vermilion, he observed that these substances accumulated on the 

 greater omentum, which became stained black or red. Microscopical 

 examination revealed the existence of a not very intense phagocytosis 

 and a number of free coloured granules in the midst of filaments of 

 fibrin. 



The leucocytes which, during this phagolysis, allowed the fibrin- 

 ferment to escape might also give up a certain amount of their 

 microcytase. This microcytase would pass into the peritoneal fluid 

 1 Ann. de VInst. Pasteur, Paris, 1897, t. xi, p. 308. 



