BACTERIOLYSIS AND ALLIED PHENOMENA igi 



observed, the cells on which it acted being motile ; and it must be 

 pointed out that these cytolysins do not cause complete solution of 

 the cells. A red blood-corpuscle is a remarkable object, and 

 macroscopic evidence of its (partial) solution is easily obtained. 

 It is otherwise with the cytolysins, and here refined histological 

 methods are often necessary for the demonstration of a solvent 

 action. Agglutination of a suitable suspension of the cells is, 

 however, invariably present, and is easily observed. Further 

 evidence is also obtainable by observing the action of the serum 

 on live animals and the disturbances in function which it produces. 

 In the case of the spermotoxin, the spermatozoa are rendered 

 immotile, and are agglutinated, but are not dissolved. 



Several interesting phenomena were brought to light by a study 

 of spermotoxin. Thus, Moxter showed that its action is not 

 sharply specific, since a spermotoxic serum is also haemolytic. 

 Metchnikoff thought that this non-specificity is only apparent, 

 since haemolytic sera are not spermotoxic ; and he succeeded in 

 removing the haemolytic substance from the serum by the addition 

 of red corpuscles, leaving the spermotoxin intact. 



It may be pointed out here that similar results have been 

 obtained with the other cytolytic sera ; they are not sharply 

 specific, all being haemolytic, and some attacking several cells, as 

 well as those which have been used as their antigens. This 

 subject has been thoroughly investigated by Pearce. Some of 

 his results may be briefly epitomized. Haemolytic sera act, of 

 course, most strongly on the red corpuscles, which they lake, and 

 give rise to haemoglobinuria. They also produce fatty degeneration 

 of the renal epithelium and necrosis of the cells of the liver. 

 With very small doses there may be no haemoglobinuria, bile- 

 pigment being present in the urine, but the lesions of the liver 

 and kidney are also present. A serum prepared by the injection 

 of kidney cells, thoroughly washed, so that no blood was injected 

 with them, was haemolytic in vitro, but did not produce haemo- 

 globinuria. It caused albuminuria, with presence of casts and 

 granular degeneration of the liver cells. A serum similarly pre- 

 pared from the suprarenal glands had no action on them, but 

 produced granular or fatty degeneration of the kidney and liver. 

 An animal injected therewith showed immediate pallor of the 

 mucous membranes and cardiac and respiratory failure. He 

 found that hepatotoxins and pancreatotoxins were without specific 

 action, behaving simply like haemolysins. 



