Affinity of Sheep-Corpuscles. 



293 



The next step undertaken was to determine the stability of 

 the sheep-cell-hemolysin union. This is of practical importance 

 inasmuch as many workers "sensitize" sheep-cells by placing a 

 mixture of cells and hemolysin for 1 hour in the water-bath, while 

 our studies suggested the possibility of dissociation of cells and 

 hemolysin during this period. 



Our findings indicate that there is little difference between 

 the quantity of hemolysin absorbed after 10 minutes extraction 

 at room-temperature as compared with 1 hour extraction in the 

 water-bath. In a few cases, less extraction was observed at the 

 latter time and temperature compared with the short extraction 

 period at room temperature. There are two probable explanations 

 for this finding; first, the dissociation of cells and hemolysin after 

 prolonged exposure at warm temperature; second, the hemolysis 

 of a small number of corpuscles due to agitation, causing some 

 absorbed hemolysin to get back into solution. 



150 (1732) 



The effect of heat on specific complement 

 fixing antibodies. 



By R. L. KAHN and S. R. JOHNSON. 



[From the Bureau of Laboratories, Michigan Department 

 of Health, Lansing, Mich.] 



The comparative thermostability of specific complement fixing 

 antibodies resulting from protein immunization, and thermo- 

 labilityof so called complement fixing antibodies present in syphi- 

 litic sera, was recently reported by one of us 1 in these Proceedings. 

 The former antibodies were found to withstand a temperature of 

 70 degrees C, while the latter were destroyed between 62 and 65 

 degrees C. In view of the fact that more and more interest is 

 being developed in complement fixation in connection with bac- 

 terial diseases, these studies were extended to complement fixing 

 antibodies resulting from bacterial immunization. 



1 Kahn, R. L., Proceed. Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med.. 1921, xviii, 171. 



