THE SOLUBLE SPECIFIC SUBSTANCE OF PNEUMOCOCCUS

Abstract

1. The method for the concentration and purification of the soluble specific substance of Pneumococcus has been improved. 2. Highly purified specific substance of Type II pneumococcus of polysaccharide nature is shown to be recovered essentially unchanged after precipitation by immune serum, by uranyl nitrate, by basic lead acetate, or by safranine. 3. Marked chemical differences are shown to exist between the specific substances of Type II and Type III pneumococcus, although both react as polysaccharides. 4. The weight of evidence is considered to be in favor of the view that the specific substances of Pneumococcus Types II and III are actually polysaccharide derivatives. 5. The immunological significance of the foregoing view is discussed.