antitoxine

The antitoxine which is formed during the disease, and the production of which in the horse can be enormously stimulated by the injection of toxine, represents merely the excess of cell receptors, and when the serum of the horse containing them is injected in a case of diphtheria the same combination takes place as in the case of receptors provided by the patient.

Disease and Its Causes William Thomas Councilman

This antitoxine neutralizes the effects of the diphtheria toxine, and then the body develops strength to drive off the bacteria which have obtained lodgment in the throat.

The Story of Germ Life

Its cells react and produce a considerable quantity of the antitoxine which remains in solution in the blood of the animal.

The Story of Germ Life

Above all, we must remember that the antitoxines do not cure in themselves; they only guard the body from the weakening effects of the poisons until it can cure itself, and, unless the body has resisting powers, the antitoxine will fail to produce the desired results.

The Story of Germ Life

Thus there is developed in the horse's blood a quantity of the antitoxine, and now it may be used by physicians where needed.

The Story of Germ Life

So long as this antitoxine is not present the poisons produced by the disease will have their full effect to weaken the body and prevent the revival of its resisting powers to drive off the bacteria.

The Story of Germ Life

Plainly, if it is possible to obtain this antitoxine in quantity and then inoculate it into the body when the toxic poisons are present, we have a means for decidedly assisting the body in its efforts to drive off the parasites.

The Story of Germ Life

When, however, the recovery results from the artificial inoculation of antitoxine the body cells have not actively produced antitoxine.

The Story of Germ Life

It will be clear that to obtain the antitoxine we must depend upon some natural method for its production.

The Story of Germ Life

This substance has been isolated from the blood of animals that have recovered from an attack of diphtheria, and has been called diphtheria antitoxine.

The Story of Germ Life