350 



BIOLOGY: GENERAL AND MEDICAL 



found to contain the third element required, which is 

 known as the complement. This complementary sub- 

 stance is, therefore, something normal to the blood, 

 whose presence does not depend upon any experimental 

 manipulation and is not capable of effecting any change 



cl. a. c. 



FIG. 128. Diagram illustrating the factors concerned in hemolysis, cytolysis, 

 and bacteriolysis, cl, The cell to be dissolved; c, the complement or solvent by 

 which it is to be dissolved; a, the amboceptor or intermediate body by which 

 the two can be brought together. 



in the blood corpuscles by itself. It is, however, acti- 

 vated by the amboceptor. If the process of hemolysis 

 by complement and amboceptor is to be thoroughly 

 understood, it may be well to visualize it in a manner 

 shown in the following diagram: 



g 



ore Toxojbhore 

 rou/o. group. 



Toxin* 

 FIG. 129. 



'ile Toxo/jhile 

 group. group. 



FIG. 130. 



It is now apparent why the amboceptor is so called, 

 for it is shown to take hold of the complement on one 

 hand and of the corpuscle on the other. It will become 

 clear why the complement, or solvent, an enzymic sub- 

 stance, is unable to accomplish anything by itself, not 

 being able to connect with the corpuscle, and why the 



