CYTO LYSIS IN GENERAL 205 



to explain the progressive nature of the chronic nephritides as 

 the result of nephrotoxins produced through the absorption of 

 the injured cells, which nephrotoxins injure still other renal cells. 

 Such a process, however, involves the production of cell toxins 

 in an animal that are toxic for its own cells, that is, autocyto- 

 toxins ; and as it has so far been practically impossible to 

 produce autolysins of other sorts, it is not altogether probable 

 that the kidney is an exception. Furthermore, Pearce 1 was 

 unable to produce isonephrotoxins, and could not corroborate 

 the statements as to the changes said to have been found in the 

 remaining kidney after ligating the vessels of its mate. He did 

 obtain an active heteronephrolysin, but also found that immuni- 

 zation with liver produced nearly as actively nephrolytic serum 

 as did immunization with kidney. 



Neurolytic Serum. Even as highly specialized cells as 

 those of the nervous tissue seem to produce a reaction with the 

 formation of immune bodies. Perhaps the most positive results 

 are those of Ricketts and Rothstein, 2 who found that serum of 

 rabbits immunized against the brains or cords of guinea-pigs 

 was highly toxic when injected into the vessels of guinea-pigs, 

 causing death with various symptoms only explainable on the 

 assumption of nervous lesions. Microcospically, the ganglion- 

 cells showed marked changes in those animals that survived 

 the injection long enough. All the results so far obtained have 

 been with heterogeneous serum. Venoms, particularly that of 

 cobra, possess strong neurolytic substances that are the chief 

 toxic agents in most of the venoms (rattlesnake venom excepted). 



Thyrolytic Serum. There are but few reports on this 

 serum, but that of Portis 3 indicates that after removal of all 

 hemolysis as a factor there do occur changes, in the nature of 

 excessive absorption of colloid, and proliferation after the 

 order of that seen in thyroid regeneration. However, the 

 clinical picture of thyroidectomy was not produced in any case, 

 and the anatomic changes were not great. By immunizing 

 against nucleoproteids derived from thyroid tissue, Beebe 4 has 

 secured an antiserum which seems to have some effect upon 

 diseased thyroids (exophthalmic goiter). MacCallum 5 could 

 not get a specific serum for parathyroid tissue. 



Numerous reports may be found indicating attempts, with 

 varying success, to obtain serums toxic for other tissues. Among 



1 Univ. of Penn. Med. Bull., 1903 (16), 217. 



2 Trans. Chicago Path. Soc., 1903 (5), 207. 



3 Jour. Infectious Diseases, 1904 (1), 127. 



4 Jour. Araer. Med. Assoc., 1906 (46), 484. 5 Med. News, 1903 (83), 820. 



