The Role of the Phagocyte in Cerebrospinal Meningitis. 423 



Is it possible that, under certain conditions, the meningococcus can remain 

 alive within the leucocytes ? If such should prove to be the case, then 

 wandering leucocytes might convey living meningococci into the spinal canal 

 and thus bring about infection. 



More than a quarter of a century ago, Buffer* drew attention to the fact 

 that, in sections of the rabbit's tonsil, the leucocytes are frequently seen 

 crowded with bacteria, which seem to have undergone little digestion. To 

 all appearances they seem to resemble free germs. 



Since then many similar observations have been made, notably by, 

 Metchnikofff and his pupils, Adami,J Mcholls,§ Ford,|| and many others. 



In 1895, BordetIF found that cholera spirilla, injected into the blood 

 stream of cholera-immune animals, are taken up by the leucocytes before 

 they are subjected to lysis by the circulating antibodies. 



Metchnikoff,-|- Levaditi,** and Briscoeff similarly have shown that red 

 blood cells injected into previously immunised animals may be taken up by 

 the leucocytes before they can be hsemolysed. 



Bous and Jones£ have shown that leucocytes can protect typhoid 

 bacilli, after ingestion, from the toxic action of a N/150 KCN solution. 

 This strength of KCN they showed was highly lethal to the unprotected 

 germs.§§ They also proved that living leucocytes can shield these bacilli 

 from the action of a strong homologous serum, as the serum is unable to 

 exert any action on those germs within the leucocytes. They were able 

 subsequently to recover living germs from these leucocytes. 



McKee|||| has found that in ophthalmia neonatorum (gonococcal), the cells 

 of the conjunctival epithelium can take up the gonococcus in large numbers, 

 and that these cocci are not killed by the silver nitrate when the eye is 

 subsequently washed out with this solution. Similar observations have been 

 made on the urethral epithelium by other investigators. We have thus a 

 clear explanation of the cause or source of recurrent infection, so frequent 

 where this germ is concerned. 



* Ruffer, 'Brit. Med. Jourrt.,' 1890. 



t ' MetcLmikoff, ' L'Immunite dans les Maladies Infectieuses,' Paris. 



X Adami, Abbot, and Nicholson, 'Journ. Exp. Med.,' vol. 4 (1899). 



§ Nicholls, ' Journ. Med. Eesch.,' N.S., vol. 6 (1904). 



|| Ford, 4 Journ. Hyg.,' vol. 1 (1901). 

 IT Bordet, ' Ann. de l'lnst. Past.,' vol. 9 (1895). 

 ** Levaditi, 'Ann. de l'lnst. Past.,' vol. 16 (1902). 

 t+ Briscoe, 'Journ. Path, and Bact.,' vol. 12 (1908). 

 %X Rous and Jones, ' Journ. Exp. Med.,' vol. 23 (1916). 



We did not find a N/150 KCN solution made up in Lock's solution toxic for the 

 meningococcus after 3 hours' exposure to its action at 37° C. 



Ill McKee, ' Ophthalmic Record,' Chicago, January, 1912. 



2 N 2 



