236 MANUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY. 



the heated ox serum and some unheated fresh serum (horse 

 serum was the kind used in the experiments) are employed at 

 the same time. This is interpreted by Ehrlich and Sachs as 

 showing that while the free amboceptors present in the ox 

 serum will not unite with the cells they will and do so unite 

 when they are previously attached to complements. But 

 Bordet's results appear to show quite plainly that in this case 

 the horse serum which was used as complement produces 

 cytolysis quite independently of the ox serum, and that while 

 cytolysis takes place more promptly when heated ox serum — 

 ox amboceptors — are added, the ox serum is not necessary. 

 Bordet therefore regards the experiments as showing that the 

 heated ox serum acted merely as an accelerator of cytolysis. 

 Bordet summarizes his conclusions as follows : 



We see but one rational explanation of the peculiar action of ox serum — 

 that there exists in the serum a peculiar substance capable of resisting heat of 

 56° C. and which remains unaltered for many months in this heated serum. 

 The substance is probably of an albuminous or colloid character, and does not 

 adhere to the normal corpuscles, but is precipitated upon the corpuscles which 

 are previously charged with sensibilisatrice and alexin. We believe that it is 

 a veritable process of glueing or absorption depending upon molecular adhesion 

 * * * In conformity with the statements of Ehrlich and Sachs, fexperiments 

 show that the corpuscles of guinea-pigs become hemolyzed in a mixture of fresh 

 serum and of ox serum, the latter having been heated to 56° C, while they resist 

 hemolysis if they are first subjected to the action of the heated ox serum and have 

 the horse serum added subsequently. But the interpretation offered by Ehrlich 

 and Sachs, according to which the sensibilisatrice furnished by the ox serum, 

 does not unite with the corpuscles unless it (the sensibilisatrice) is previously 

 connected with alexin derived from the horse serum it not correct. In the first 

 place, the sensibilastrice, which plays a preponderating and most essential r61e 

 is not contained in the ox serum at all, but is furnished by the horse serum. 

 Consequently these sensibilisatrices behave like all of their congeners, in the 

 sense that they do not require the presence of the alexin before they are capable 

 of uniting vdth the corpuscles. 



Finally, this interpretation leaves completely in the dark the very special 

 peculiarities of the cases of hemolysis in question. 



The peculiarity of ox serum consists in the presence of a certain element which 

 resists 56° C, and also resists standing, and is of the nature of a colloid, doubtless 

 albuminoid, and which, furthermore, is absorbed by corpuscles which have become 



