Specific Action of Toxins 77 



The chemic nature of the toxins differs. Undoubtedly some are 

 tox-albumins, but others are of different composition and fail to 

 give the reactions belonging to the compounds of this group. 



The variations observed in toxicogenesis under experimental 

 conditions in the test-tube indicate that similar variations occur 

 in the bodies of animals, and a few experiments conducted with 

 slight variations in the composition and reaction of the media in 

 which the bacteria grow will suffice to show that the exact effect 

 of toxicogenic bacteria in the bodies of different animals cannot 

 always be accurately prejudged. 



The physiologic and pathogenic action of the extracellular soluble 

 toxins differs from that of the intracellular and difficultly soluble 

 toxins in that it is more easily diffused throughout the animal juices, 

 and that, its diffusion is independent of the invasiveness of the bac- 

 teria, so that a few organisms growing at some focus of unimportant 

 magnitude, and causing but little local manifestation, may be able 

 to produce a profound impression upon remote organs. This 

 is best exempUfied in the case of the Bacillus tetani, which, finding 

 its way into the tissues under proper conditions, produces scarcely 

 any local reaction — indeed, the lesion may be undiscoverable^ — 

 yet may cause the death of the animal through the intensity of its 

 action upon the central nervous system. 



SPECIFIC ACTION OF TOXINS 



The metabolic products of the greater number of injurious bacteria 

 are characterized by irritative action upon those body cells with 

 which they come into contact. If through the intracellular nature 

 of the poisons and the mildly invasive character of the micro- 

 organisms this action is restricted to the seat of original infection, a 

 local manifestation will result. Its exact nature will, however, be 

 modified to some extent by other qualities of the bacterial products. 

 Thus, when in addition to their irritative action which, when mild, 

 occasions multiplication of the cells of the connective and lymphoid 

 tissues, and, when extreme, effects the death of the cells, the products 

 are strongly chemotactic, suppuration will occur. 



Fever and suppuration are, therefore, non-specific actions, because 

 numerous micro-organisms share in common the qualities produc- 

 tive of these conditions. 



If the bacteria are rapidly invasive, but still have injurious 

 products of the intracellular variety, they are apt to share certain 

 quaUties, such as the swelling of the lymph-nodes, etc., in common, 

 so that such lesions cannot be considered as specific. So soon as 

 any one of the products is discovered to give some single lesion 

 peculiar to that organism by which it is produced, or so soon as the 

 total effect of the activity of the various products of any micro- 

 organism produces a typical effect, differing from the total effect 



