OPSONIC INDEX AND VACCINE THERAPY 337 



it again began to diminish. A second inoculation on the 12th day 

 was followed by a similar preliminary negative phase, then a steady 

 and rapid positive phase, which was accompanied by cure. 



Another curve Curve 2 of the same publication (Wright and 

 Douglas, Proc. Royal Soc., Vol. 74, 1904, p\ 156) is similar. This 

 case suffered from severe sycosis (barber's itch), had been ill for 

 17 months, and had been unsuccessfully treated during this time with 

 antiseptics. Staphylococci were isolated from a hair follicle, and 

 from this the vaccine was made which was used in the treatment. 

 Here the originally low opsonic index (0.8) rose after the first in- 

 jection without a preliminary negative phase but after the second 

 treatment a sharp fall preceded the subsequent rise. Finally a sus- 

 tained high index accompanied complete cure. 



The rise and fall of the opsonins after the injection of bacteria 

 is entirely analogous to the similar fluctuations of other antibodies 

 after antigen injections. Measurements of this kind are numerous 

 in the literature. Thus Saloinonsen and Madsen, measuring the 

 antitoxin contents of the blood and milk of a mare which were being 

 immunized by injections of diphtheria toxin, obtained the following 

 curve, which is entirely similar in essential features to those con- 

 structed for the opsonic index by Wright and Douglas : 



% 



2 4 6 8 JO /2/4I6 /6 



CURVE DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENTS OF ANTITOXIN IN A MARE IN 



EESPONSE TO TOXIN INJECTIONS. 



(Taken from article by Salomonsen and Madsen, Ann. de I'Inst. Pasteur, Vol. 11, 



1897, p. 319.) 



Results having the same general significance are apparent in the 

 measurements made upon a tetanus toxin goat by Ehrlich and 

 Brieger, 9 and in the observations upon the fluctuations of bacteri- 



9 Ehrlich and Brieger. Zeitschr. f. Hyg., Vol. 13. 



