Abstract
The complementary substances of an active serum were supposed to be extremely labile bodies, but their stability has never been tested chemically. In this study, the action of various acids, alkalies and salts upon complements has been examined. The list of chemicals used is as follows: ACIDS — hydrochloric, nitric, sulphuric, phosphoric, formic, acetic, propionic, lactic, butyric, oxybutyric, oxalic, tartaric, citric, fumaric, maleinic, citraconic, itaconic, glycerophosphoric, uric and nucleic; ALKALIES — ammonium hydrate, sodium hydrate, magnesium hydrate, calcium hydrate and barium hydrate; SALTS — sodium carbonate; magnesium sulphate, phosphate, acetate and carbonate; calcium sulphate, nitrate, phosphate, acetate, oxalate and carbonate; barium sulphate, phosphate and carbonate. Urea was also included.
It was found that all acids and alkalies are able to inactivate complements when used in sufficient concentrations. With monobasic acids it takes about 1 c.c. of n/40 solution to inactivate 1 c.c. of active serum. About 1 c.c. of n/50 solution of the acid is, as a rule, neutralized by the inherent alkalinity of the serum.
With alkalies 0.3 c.c. (ammonium hydrate 0.8 c.c.) is sufficient for inactivation. The acids and alkalies are, when used without serum, hemolytic in the quantities stated. But when mixed with the serum they — serum and chemicals — lose their activity mutually.
Alkaline salts of strong acids are not anti-complementary unless a certain limit of concentration is exceeded. Sodium carbonate is anti-complementary in a relative, but not in an absolute sense. All other salts employed are strongly anti-complementary, the magnesium salts being the least inhibiting. Calcium and barium salts of strong acids are absolute anti-complements, while the carbonates of these elements may or may not be active upon complements.
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