CHEMICAL ACTIONS : PROTOPLASM 



the enzymes, cause the formation of specific anti- 

 substances when brought into the veins. The 

 formation of Antitoxins is quite analogous to the 

 formation of anti-enzymes. Antitoxins have the 

 specific effect of rendering the Cy to toxin, to which 

 they correspond, inefficacious. This Antitoxin- 

 phenomenon, as we know, plays an important 

 part in the defence of animal and human organisms 

 against the toxin-producing bacteria in infectious 

 diseases. 



The production of anti-bodies is a most remark- 

 able feature in the mutual chemical influencing 

 of living cells against alien living cells and their 

 chemical products. Especially for pathology, the 

 study of such phenomena is at present of the 

 greatest importance. A whole new branch of 

 biochemistry, called Immunochemistry, has been 

 built up upon the basis of the general experiences 

 mentioned above. 



In our general review of the chemical phenomena 

 in life we cannot but lightly touch on the facts 

 which show how the living organism protects itself 

 against the attacks of microbes. These facts are 

 very interesting for us to illustrate how the pro- 

 tective substances and the aggressive substances 

 of living cells may enter upon reactions. Cyto- 

 toxins, as well as enzymes, are typically colloidal 

 substances, and so are antitoxins. When anti- 

 toxins neutralise the cytotoxins we could think 

 that the cytotoxins would be destroyed. But it is 

 K 129 



