Abstract
There is some evidence of union between certain bacterial toxins and susceptible tissues. The harmful effects of tetanal toxin are neutralized when it is mixed in vitro with brain and cord tissues of rabbits and guinea pigs as shown by Wassermann and Takaki. 1 Metchnikoff observed that brain-tissue from animals entirely insusceptible to tetanal toxin possesses absolutely no neutralizing properties. 2
Doerr 3 found that rabbits'spinal cord macerated in saline had little effect on the lethal action of tetanal toxin.
The action of some toxins on certain tissues in vivo endangers the life of the animal. The injury produced in connective tissue by diphtheric toxin, ricin, and abrin can only be explained by anchoring of the toxin on the cells, according to Dean. 4
Staphylococcal toxin when injected intravenously in the rabbit may produce immediate death. 5 If the animal survives the acute reaction, necrosis may occur in the majority of the organs. 6 When the toxin is injected locally necrosis occurs in the immediate area. 7
The present study was made to determine the in vitro effect of rabbit brain, liver, kidney, and muscle on a staphylococcal toxin. The tissues were macerated and mixed immediately with the toxin and kept at 5-15°C for 24 hours. The toxin-tissue mixtures were centrifuged and the supernatant liquid was titrated for hemotoxin with 1 cc of a 2% suspension of rabbits'red blood cells. Lysis was recorded after the tubes bad been in a waterbath at 37°C for 2 hours and in the icebox for 18 hours. The degrees of hemolysis in the different tubes were compared with that produced by a known amount of toxin diluted with saline.
Table I shows variation in the effect of staphylococcal toxin of different tissues from the same rabbit and from a different rabbit.
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