On the Formation of Specific Anti-Bodies in the Blood following upon Treatment with the Sera of different Animals, together with their Use in Legal Medicine

Abstract

During the thirteen years which have elapsed since the publication of my researches upon the bactericidal properties of the blood and other fluids of the body, a large amount of most valuable knowledge has been acquired regarding the blood both in health and disease. Through the work of many investigators the complicated subject of immunity is gradually being solved, and we are beginning to understand the way in which the body combats or is protected against the inroads of disease. We have learnt of the existence of specific antitoxic, agglutinative, haemolytic, bactericidal and cellulicidal properties in the blood-serum, etc., as also of a number of neutralizing bodies to these. The quite recent discovery of specific precipitins, which act upon various bacterial products, milks, peptone, egg-albumin, and upon human blood and its derivates, has opened a wide field for investigation, which cannot fail to ultimately yield results of the greatest importance. We have to thank bacteriological investigation for the greater part of the advances which have been made, although a considerable portion properly belongs in the domain of physiology.