BY R. GRBIG-SMITH. 



689 



Vabying Strengths of Saline. 



Corpuscles in 0*6 per cent. 



saline; 



bacteria in 





Cocci per 



leucocyte. 



Poor suspension. 



Rich suspension. 



15 min. 



30 min. 



15 min. 



30 min. 



0*1 per cent. 



— 



— 



10-8 



10-5 



0-2 „ 



— 



— 



9 5 



12-7 



04 „ 



— 



— • 



11-5 



16*1 



06 „ 



1-3 



2-4 



12-7 



13 9 



0-8 „ 



1-9 



3 1 



8-6 



124 



1-0 



1-7 



2 3 



8-0 



11-5 



1-2 „ 



1-3 



2-1 



7-2 



8-3 



14 „ 



0-8 



1-9 



6 2 



9 2 



For a maximum phagocytosis, the salt-content should be from 

 0-6 to 0*8%. In all the tests the differences between the 20 and 

 between the 50 counts were proportional to the total number of 

 bacteria ingested. There was nothing to recommend any parti- 

 cular percentage as being conducive to a more regular englobment. 



In the belief that a better fluid than normal saline could be 

 obtained which would give more concordant results and also that 

 this would only result from a slowing of the rate of phagocytosis, 

 experiments were made with citrate. It is not advisable to use 

 citrate alone for the suspension of the corpuscles, as more or less 

 haemolysis occurs with eversion of the white corpuscles. A solution 

 containing 0-6% of sodium chloride and 0*4% of sodium citrate 

 was therefore employed while the bacteria were suspended in 

 distilled water and equal volumes were pipetted into varying 

 strengths of citrate. 



Bacteria suspended in 

 citrate. 



50 counts. 



100 counts. 



o-o 



pei 



• cent. 



160 



144 



304 









171 



204 



375 



02 





? , 



135 



102 



237 









106 



108 



214 



4 







130 



127 



257 









108 



131 



239 









111 



119 



230 



06 







88 



78 



166 









73 



91 



164 



0-8 







110 



135 



245 









119 



123 



242 



10 







59 



121 



180 









107 



80 



187 



