426 



A Further Communication on the Specificity and Action in Vitro 



of Gastrotoxin. 



By Charles Bolton, M.D., Besearch Scholar of the Grocers' Company. 



(Communicated by Professor Sidney Martin, F.B.S. Beceived January 25,— 



Bead February, 1, 1906.) 

 (From the Pathological Laboratory, University College, London.) 

 [Plates 16 and 17.] 



In July, 1904, I laid before the Boyal Society a preliminary communica- 

 tion on the production of a gastrotoxic serum. In that communication I 

 stated that the serum, obtained by the injection of the mucous membrane of 

 the stomach of the guinea-pig into the rabbit, was not speeific in the true 

 sense of the word ; and further, that I was unable to demonstrate any effect 

 of the gastrotoxin upon the gastric glands of the guinea-pig in vitro, 

 although necrosis and ulceration of the mucous membrane of the stomach 

 were produced by injection of the serum into the living animal. 



By means of more extensive experiments and improved methods I have 

 obtained confirmatory evidence that the action of the serum is not truly 

 specific, and have also been able to demonstrate that a definite effect upon 

 the gastric cells is produced in vitro. I have also succeeded in preparing a 

 gastrotoxic serum by injecting the fresh mucous membrane of human 

 stomach into the rabbit. The present communication is therefore intended 

 as a continuation of my former one. 



The subject will be discussed under the following headings : — 



I. Action in Vitro — 



1. Hemolytic action. 



2. Action upon the gastric granules (agglutination). 



3. Action upon the soluble proteids of the cells (precipitation). 



4. Action upon the intact gastric cells (lysis). 



If. Specificity/ of Gastrotoxix — 



1. Power of Different Cells to Render the Serum Inactive. 



Experiments in vivo. 

 Experiments in vitro. 



2. Comparison with Entero- and Hcpatotoxin and, Hcemolysin. 



Experiments in vivo. 

 Experiments in vitro. 



III. Production of Human Gastrotoxin. 



IV. General Conclusions. 



