The Antitoxins 141 



with saturated sodium chloride solution. The soluble 

 antitoxic proteins are then reprecipitated from the saturated 

 sodium chloride solution with acetic acid. This filtered 

 precipitate is then partially dried between filter-papers and 

 dialyzed in running water. This yields a final product 

 which when dried in vacuo is readily soluble in salt solution 

 and is free from many of the offensive substances in the horse 

 serum. Steinhardt and Bauzhaf * found that the therapeutic 

 value of the plasma was not appreciably impaired through 

 the process of eliminating the albumins and other non- 

 antitoxic proteins by the salting out methods employed, 

 and the final dialyzation of the concentrated product, 

 thus disproving the objection of Cruveilhierf on this point. 



2. Tetanus antitoxin was first prepared by Behring and 

 Kitasato.f It can be employed for the prevention or cure of 

 tetanus. For the former purpose, hypodermic injections of the 

 serum may be given in cases with suspicious wounds, or the 

 wounds may be dusted with a powder made by pulverizing 

 the dried serum. For treatment the serum must be admin- 

 istered in frequently repeated large doses by hypodermic or 

 intravenous injection. The results are less brilliant than 

 those attained with diphtheria antitoxin because of the avid- 

 ity with which the cells of the central nervous system take 

 up the tetanus toxin, and the firmness of the union formed. 

 An analysis of a great number of cases has, however, 

 shown that the recoveries following the free administra- 

 tion of the serum exceed the recoveries effected by other 

 methods of treatment by about 40 per cent. 



By the gradual introduction of tetanus toxin Behring 

 and Kitasato have been able to produce a powerful anti- 

 toxic substance in the blood of animals. 



The method of obtaining tetanus antitoxic serum is like 

 that employed for securing diphtheria antitoxic serum 

 (q. v.). 



Madsen|| found that for each of the specific poisons, 

 tetanolysin and tetanospasmin, a specific antitoxin is pro- 

 duced, the one annulling the convulsive, the other the 

 hemolytic, properties of the toxin. The usual therapeutic 

 serums contain both of these. 



* "Jour. Infectious Diseases," vol. 11, pp. 202 and 264, March, 1908. 



f "Ann. de 1'Inst. Pasteur," 1904, xvm, p. 249. 



t " Deutsche med. Wochenschrift," 1890, No. 49. 



Ibid. 



|| "Zeitschrift fiir Hygiene," 1899, xxxm, p. 239 



