AGGLUTINATING SERA 



l6 7 



to i c.c. of a i-iooo dilution of human serum in salt solution. Various controls are 

 necessary when used in medico-legal work. 



Agglutinating Sera. For obtaining an agglutinating or bacteriolytic serum for 

 bacteria we inject about i c.c. of the killed bacterial bouillon culture subcutaneously 

 or into the peritoneal cavity of the rabbit. The easiest way to inject the rabbit is to 

 hold the animal head down and plunge the needle in the median line into the ab- 

 dominal cavity, forcing in the contents of the syringe. The intestines gravitate down- 

 ward and by entering the needle below the limits of the bladder we avoid injuring 

 any vital part. It may be more satisfactory to at first inject only about % c.c., and 



FIG. 48. i, Red cells + normal serum. No amboceptor. No haemolysis. A, 

 Complement; B, normal red cell. 2, Red cells 4-immune 'serum. Complement and 

 amboceptor. Haemolysis. C, Complement; D, amboceptor; E, haemolyzed red 

 cell. 3, Red cells + immune serum heated to 56. C. Inactivated. Complement 

 destroyed. No haemolysis. F, Destroyed complement; G, amboceptor; H, red 

 cells. 4, Red cells + heated immune serum + fresh serum. (Activated by con- 

 tained complement.) Haemolysis. I, Destroyed complement; J, fresh complement; 

 K, amboceptor; L, heemolysed red cell. 5, Diagram showing antitoxin production. 

 a, Toxin molecule; b, antitoxin molecule; c, neutralization of toxin by antitoxin. 

 6, Diagram showing bacteriolysin. d, Complement; e, amboceptor; /, bacillus. 



then if there is very little reaction, as shown by the appetite and spirits of the rabbit, 

 to inject about four days later i c.c. About four or five injections at intervals of 

 three to five days will usually produce an immune serum. 



Injection of the antigenic material (blood cells, serum or bacterial emulsion) into 

 the marginal ear vein may be employed. With this method, however, I have had 

 several rabbits die in what was considered anaphylactic shock. (For the method 

 of immunizing rabbits to produce a haemolytic serum see Wassermann test.) Some 



