TOXINS AND ANTITOXINS 215 



variously confirmed. Kempner and Schepilewsky ' showed a similar 

 relation to exist between brain tissue and botulismus toxin, and Myers ^ 

 brought proof of analogous conditions in the case of suprarenal tissue 

 and cobra poison. 



In the discussion of Ehrlich's toxin analysis, we have seen that he 

 accounted for variations in the quantitative relations by the existence 

 of toxoids and toxons. He explained the striking fact that toxoids had 

 lost their poisonous nature and yet retained full powers to neutralize 

 antitoxin by the assumption that toxin was made up of two separate 

 atom-groups; one, the haptophore group which possessed the specific 

 afiinity for the antitoxin or cell receptor; the other, the toxophore 

 group by means of which the actually harmful effects were produced. 

 The haptophore groups of aU three of these substances, toxin, toxoid, 

 and toxon, by virtue of their antitoxin-binding power, he assumed to be 

 alike; in toxoid, the toxophore group has been destroyed or altered; 

 in toxon, the toxophore group is qualitatively different from that of 

 toxin. The haptophore group, however, being alone concerned in neu- 

 tralizing receptors, all three of these substances should, if Ehrlich's 

 theory is to be tenable, produce antitoxin. Dreyer and Madsen,' ac- 

 cordingly, actually succeeded in producing diphtheria antitoxin by im- 

 munization with toxon. Attempts to produce antitoxin with toxoids 

 have succeeded in the hands of Ehrlich and others. Such experiments 

 have not, however, been always successful, a notable failure being that 

 of Bruck.* On the basis of such negative results the theory was advanced 

 by Wassermann that overproduction of receptors was stimulated by 

 the irritation (Zellreiz) produced by the toxophore group — a stimula- 

 tion not present in the case of toxoids. 



1 Kempner und SchepiUwsky , Zeit. f. Hyg., 1898. 



2 Myers, Cent. f. Bakt., i, 1899. a Dreyer und Madsen, Zeit. f. Hyg., 1901. 

 * Brack, Zeit. f. Hyg., 1904. 



