The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-19

toxic serum alone died with typical symptoms OF
tetsnrs- This point having been demonstrated.
the samples OF the serum delivered to US by the
Coroner examined Seventy-four animals
have been used in this investigation. The results
OF these experiments will be found in tables 2.
10 II. Il. lS and IL
II will Be that seven animals inoculated
with the serum dated August "a died with the
Characteristic symptoms OF tetsnus. nine animals
were not affected and three animals died Of
causes other than tetanus. In every instance the
animals used were injected simultaneously, with
the observance OF all necessary antiseptic pre-
cautions. Daily notes taken OF the condi-
tion OF all the animals used.
II viii also be from the appended tables
that. while some Of the serum dated August
"a was toxic. other samples dated August "a
were found to be perfectly harmless.
".
Tie results Of our experiments Rave demon
strated unquestionably that OF the serum
examined by US contained the organism OF
fanus either in the active in the resting stage
tspores). On the other hand, experiments
have shown that those samples Of serum which
caused tetanus contained the tetanus toxin pre-
formed
The following facts lead us TO this conclusion:
First-Seventeen animals inoculated with diff
ferent amounts OF cerebro-spnal fluid, blood
serum. suspensions made from the tissues at
the point OF incubation did not develop tetanus
Second-Culture tubes inoculated with thirty
col different samples OF the city diphtheria anti
toxin. dated August q and September so.
aerobic as well as snaerohic conditions.
Third-One cubic centimeter of the toxic serum
heated TO 50 degrees Centigrade forty-ive min
utes. was injected into mouse without causing
any toxic symptoms One cubic centimeter of the
same serum. unhested. killed a full-grown guinea
pig within three days See table s. As is well
known. the spores of the tetanus bacillus resist a
temperature of so degrees for over hour.
while the toxin is destroyed when exposed to the
temperature used in the experiment for the time
stated
Fourth-susneustors sroro tbe ,yssr.s a, ,b.
site Of the Injection in the animals which had
died from tetanus after injection Of the toxic
serum failed TO produce any symptoms of te-
tsnus when injected into other animals. See ta-
Bile s.
Fffth-In was there suppuration or in
nsmmation at the point OF incubation. which
tends to show that the serum contained mi
cro-organisms of any kind.
Sixth-Small amounts of the toxic serum did
not kill animals when injected. although these
animals showed typical symptoms OF the disease
and subsequently recovered. See table u.
VI
AZ some OF the serum dated August a. and all
OF the serum dated September 30. tested. proved
toxic 10 our animals. while other portions OF the
serum Of August "a proved nontoxic. it
task to determine whether the three portions OF
the serum differed also in other respects. The
results OF our experiments in this direction
proved that the toxic serum dated August "a ard
the serum dated September 30 were Identical. and
that the nontoxic serum dated August "a could
easily be differentiated from Il by other proper
ties than its harmlessness. This conclusion was
reached from the following experiments:
First-There was distinct difference in the
appearance Of the toxic the one hand
and the nontoxic serum the other. The toxic
sera were more opaque than the nontoxic.
Second-The absolute weight Of the two toxic
sera and the nontoXic serum differed The toxic
sera found to be heavier than the nom
toxic serum. See table .
Third-The same difference between the tox,c
sera on the one hand and the nontoxic serum
on the other was observed in the specific gravi-
ty. The toxic agreeing in this factor ana
the ncntoxic serum showing the difference see
table 3.
Fourth-The same difference between the nor
toxic serum and the toxic sera was also apparent
in the reaction. In order to determine the reac-
tion OF the three portions Of serum We have
titrated a number OF portions of all the SAM
pies with both litmus and phenophthalein All
three sera reacted acid toward phenolphthsletn
and alkaline toward ntmus. See table g.
FIfth-The amount of chlorine in the toxic sera
was found to be greater than the amount pres
.nt in the nontoxic serum See table T.
Sixth-The lutein band In the green portion or
IN, spectrum in the nontoxlc serum was more
.npsrent than in the toxic sera. the latter
resembling each other very closely in this par
tculsr.
low the freezing point of distilled water tnnoec-
lar concentration greater in the toxic seTs
than In the nontoxic. See table ;.
F,iphth-From tables IL and L. II will be seen
that the effects OF the toxic serum OF Angus.
"a and the serum Of September 20 upon animals
was the same
Nintb-Tests Of the antitoxic potency OF the
three samples of serum. the toxic and nont9xic
serum Of August 81. and the toxic serum of Sep
t.mber 30 were made. The results Of these eN-
reriments show that tho toxic serum OF Septem-
Der 30 and Augrst % contained the same nuTber