VACCINES IN TREATMENT OF DISEASE 255 



is, when the resisting power is such that the pa- 

 tient cannot produce sufficient antibodies it 

 becomes necessary to supply these immune 

 bodies by the administration of serum. For 

 example, in a severe case of pneumonia, the pa- 

 tient's tissue-cells have sufficient to do to main 

 tain the vitality of the body ; and, if called upon 

 to produce antibodies by being stimulated with 

 a bacterial vaccine, the tissue-cells would be 

 overburdened and immunity would not follow. 

 In such cases, the administration of an immune 

 serum furnishes the patient with antibodies al- 

 ready formed, and thus combats the diseased 

 process; while the patient's tissue-cells are per- 

 mitted to exert all their energies toward main- 

 taining the vitality of the patient. In a general 

 way, it may be said that the best results in acute 

 general infections are obtained from the use of 

 sera rather than vaccines. 



The greatest field for the application of vac- 

 cines in the treatment of disease is in certain 

 strictly localized infections, and in chronic in- 

 fections. 



