TOXINS AND ANTITOXINS. 33 



are absorbed, the organism survives, while in the 

 contrary case it succumbs. 



Attention must be called to this attack by the 

 white corpuscles within the limits where they are 

 normally confined. It is a pathologic diapedesis — 

 a leucocytosis provoked by the irritation of the 

 tissues — and caused either by the presence alone 

 of foreign elements, or by the soluble products 

 secreted by them. 



When, for any reason whatever, this phagocytic 

 action is impeded, the resistance of the organism 

 to pathogenic infection ceases to be effective, 

 and the organism may therefore be invaded by 

 the microbe. Numerous causes may contribute to 

 impede this action. 



The Antitoxins. 



We have seen that the second means of defense 

 possessed by the organism resides in the action of 

 special products, true defensive secretions, pos- 

 sessing an activity contrary to that of the toxins, 

 and which are secreted by the cells of the organism 

 under the influence of the vaccins. 



This is a property common to every organism, 

 and which is observed even in non-vaccinated 

 subjects, although in this case the secretion forms 

 with great difficulty and in small quantity. 



When an organism subjected to the toxic action 

 of a bacterial infection does not succumb to the 



