TOXINS AND ANTITOXINS 



211 



It is plain that the substances with the strongest affinity for antitoxin 

 must be bound first by the antitoxin. This does not diminish the toxic 

 value of the mixture; and these are the protoxoids. Next are bound 

 syntoxoids and toxins, and, finally, the toxons. It is plain that, by 

 this method, the constitution of any given toxin may be ascertained, 

 and Ehrlich has constructed, on the basis of these observations, what he 

 terms his toxin spectrum. Minor differences of toxicity and affinity for 

 the antibody have caused him, by the partial saturation method de- 

 scribed, still further to divide toxin into proto-, deutero-, and trito-toxin. 

 His spectra graphically describe the constitution of any given toxic 

 bouillon and trace its deterioration as follows: 



Jh/lotaxaulf 



Fisf.2. 



Prvtotoxlns Deutero- 

 toxins 



TriteCoxins 



Ih-ttiCmoidscCto!a>lilsa: THlotexeids ec 



ProCotoxiirufl SeiUe/V' Tritotaxins /3 

 toxinsfi 



Ehrlich's opinion as to the constitution of toxin is by no means 

 fully accepted. Arrhenius,' the great physical chemist, and Madsen, 



^ ArrheniusTixAMadsen, Zeit. f. physik.Chem., 1902; Festschrift, Kopenhagen, 1902. 

 15 



