THEORIES OF MECHANISM OF REACTION 87 



fense, differences in reaction exist between normal individuals and 

 individuals ill, or sensitized. The cell that has been sensitized re- 

 sponds more promptly with a mobilization of protective agents, both 

 specific antibodies as well as enzymes and other nonspecific factors 

 in resistance. 



Inasmuch as the subject of cell stimulation is so closely bound 

 up with cell fatigue, Weichardt has schematically drawn up the accom- 

 panying classification of the substances and agencies that are opera- 

 tive in cell stimulation and therefore in resistance. (Page 88.) 



These agents fall into active and passive groups; the passive ones 

 being such that take something Weichardt lays particular weight 

 on the paralyzing effect of fatigue toxins protein split products 

 from the cell. They are identified by the fact that their activity 

 becomes manifest only when symptoms of fatigue have become evi- 

 dent in the organ, and then the effect can never bring about an aug- 

 mentation of function over the normal a mere restitution is the limit 

 of their range. Given good resorption their effect becomes apparent 

 at once, while in high-grade fatigue they fail to change the function 

 to any degree. 



With the active agents we deal with a true activation whereby 

 the cells are excited to a high grade of activity, demonstrable not 

 only in fatigued but in nonfatigued cells. The dosage is of impor- 

 tance as Weichardt showed in the experiments on isolated organs and 

 organ systems. The dosage must be proportional to the organ to be 

 stimulated and its condition. Usually a definite latent period can be 

 determined before the maximum stimulation becomes manifest. 



Now if we keep in mind this relation of stimulation and fatigue, 

 that small amounts of split products (fatigue toxins) may stimulate 

 to greater activity while large amounts will cause only depression, 

 a common observation of nonspecific therapy namely the fact that 

 on repeated stimulation by intravenous injections the organism fails 

 to react becomes intelligible. The stimulation wears off, in severe 

 fatigue the reaction may fail entirely. 



Schittenhelm in his recent view of nonspecific therapy calls at- 

 tention to the fact that the derivation of the protein split product 

 used for nonspecific injections cannot be indifferent to us. Undoubted 

 differences must exist in their physiological properties of stimulation 

 or depression. There is no doubt that chemically defined proteins 

 would be best and some work has already been done in this direction. 

 But it must be kept in mind that while we may use a definite protein 

 complex to begin with, split products will also be produced during 

 the course of the reaction from the metabolites of the body and will 

 enter into the reaction. 



The euphoria that follows the nonspecific protein therapy can be 

 observed after a variety of similar procedures, both chemical and 

 physical. It is observed after the injection of colloidal metals and 



