A STUDY OF THE THERAPEUTIC MECHANISM OF ANTIPNEUMOCOCCIC SERUM ON THE EXPERIMENTAL DERMAL PNEUMOCOCCUS INFECTION IN RABBITS

Abstract

1. Antipneumococcic serum contains in addition to the antibodies against the various bacterial constituents, a non-antibacterial therapeutic factor. 2. The non-antibacterial factor has been separated from the antibacterial antibodies by absorption with homologous, heat-killed, virulent pneumococci. 3. The non-antibacterial factor is not type-specific; it is probably species-specific; it is not neutralized by concentrated pneumococcus broth culture filtrate. 4. The therapeutic effect of the non-antibacterial factor was demonstrated on the experimental, dermal pneumococcus infection of rabbits; this effect is demonstrable when it is administered per seor in conjunction with a certain subeffective dose of serum. 5. Evidence is presented for the assumption that the ultimate outcome of pneumococcus infection depends to a considerable extent upon this non-antibacterial factor.