"Upon the immunising effects of the intracellular contents of the typhoid bacillus as obtained by the disintegration of the organism at the temperature of liquid air." / by Allan Macfadyen, M.D. ; communicated by Lord Lister, O.M., F.R.S.

  • Macfayden, Allan, 1860-1907
Date:
[1903?]
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: "Upon the immunising effects of the intracellular contents of the typhoid bacillus as obtained by the disintegration of the organism at the temperature of liquid air." / by Allan Macfadyen, M.D. ; communicated by Lord Lister, O.M., F.R.S. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [From the Proceedings oe the Royal Society, Vol. 71.] J23on the Immunising Effects of the Intracellular Contents of the Typhoid Bacillus as obtained by the Disintegration of the Organism at the Temperature of Liquid Air.” By Allan Macfadyen, M.D. Communicated by Lord Lister, O.M., F.RS. Received February 19,—Read March 12, 1903. In a previous communication* it was shown that it was possible disintegrate mechanically the typhoid bacillus at the temperature liquid air, and to obtain the cell-juices of the organism. The typhoid cell-juices obtained by this method on inoculation into imals proved toxic or fatal. It was, therefore, concluded that the phoid bacillus contained within itself an intracellular toxin. It remained to test the typhoid cell-juices for immunising and tier properties. The preliminary experiments in this direction, rich form the subject of the present note, were .made upon the onkey. The monkey was selected as an animal most likely to rnish data of possible application to man. For this purpose the phoid cell-juice was administered subcutaneously to the monkey, re injections did not produce any general symptoms beyond a rnsient rise in temperature, whilst the material was quickly >sorbed after each injection without any traceable local effect. In is manner doses of 05 to 1 c.c. of the material were injected at tervals. An immediate result was the agglutination of the typhoid icillus by the serum of the blood of the treated monkeys, whereas no Lch effect was produced by the serum of monkeys which had not been eated. This furnished useful evidence that the animals were under le influence of cell-juices derived from the typhoid organism. The tjections were repeated at intervals of three to four days, and after a pse of four to six weeks the animals were bled. The serum obtained as then tested for immunising properties. The test objects were .) a virulent culture of the typhoid bacillus, and (2) the intracellular >xic juice of the same organism. A varying amount of the virulent acilli and of their toxic cell-juice was mixed with a varying quantity f the serum. The respective mixtures were then injected into the eritoneal cavity of the guinea-pig. ! The broth cultures of the typhoid organism used in the experiments erz per se lethal in doses of OT c.c. in five to ten hours. Ihe typhoid all-juices were fatal in doses of 0*2 and OT c.c. in three to five hours, ad in doses of 0'05 c.c. in about twelve hours. The serum was thus asted for (1) specific antibacterial and (2) specific antitoxic properties. The experiments showed that the serum of the monkey, after injec- ions of the typhoid cell-juices, possessed antibacterial and antitoxic iroperties, inasmuch as the serum protected the experimental animals * ‘Roy. Soc. Proc.,’ supra, p. 76. i