1904.] Bole of Blood Fluids in connection ivith Phagocytosis. 129 



ineffectual treatment with antiseptics, been subjected to three successive 

 inoculations of a sterilised staphylococcus culture. Under these inocula- 

 tions his clinical condition had ameliorated itself in an astonishing 

 manner, and his phagocytic power, which had previous to the date of 

 inoculation been less by half than that of the normal man who served as 

 a control, had increased in a progressive manner after each inoculation. 



A sample of blood was now (by the technique elsewhere described)* 

 drawn off and mixed with y^th of its volume of 10 per cent, citrate of 

 soda. A second sample of blood was drawn off and allowed to clot in 

 the ordinary way. 



In the case of the first sample of blood the corpuscles were isolated 

 from the plasma by repeated washing with physiological salt solution, 

 and centrifugalisation. The corpuscles thus isolated are referred to 

 below as "washed corpuscles." 



In the case of the second sample of blood the serum was simpler 

 separated from the corpuscles in the ordinary way by centrifugalisation. 



Control Blood from a Normal Man. — The blood which served as a 

 control was obtained from a normal healthy man. It was drawn off in 

 exactly the same manner and was treated in each case by exactly the 

 same procedures as the blood obtained from the patient. 



Bacterial Culture. — The bacterial culture employed in the experiments 

 set forth below was obtained by suspending in physiological salt 

 solution a portion of a 24 hours' growth of Staphylococcus albus 

 on agar. 



The quantities of serum, washed corpuscles, and staphylococcus culture 

 which are specified below were then in each case taken up into a 

 capillary tube, mixed on a glass slide, re-aspirated into the tube, and 

 digested together at blood heat for 15 minutes. Films were then 

 made and stained by Leishman's stain. Finally the number of ingested 

 bacteria were enumerated in a series of polynuclear W.B.C. taken in 

 order as they came. 



The phagocytic index given below — and the same applies through- 

 out this paper — represents in each case the average number of bacteria 

 ingested by the individual P. W.B.C. The number of polynuclear 

 white blood corpuscles which have furnished the index is in each case 

 inserted in brackets : — 



Experiment. 



A. 



Immunised patient's washed corpuscles 



Immunised patient's serum 



Suspension of staphylococcus culture . . 



3 vols. 

 3 „ 

 1 vol. 



Phagocytic index (20 P. W.B.C), 25*7. 



* ' Lancet,' January 23, 1904. 



