Serum therapy : bacterial therapeutics and vaccines / by R. T. Hewlett.

Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Serum therapy : bacterial therapeutics and vaccines / by R. T. Hewlett. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    solution ’ analogous to that of the constituent metals in an alloy. Ehrlich’s ‘ Side-Chain ’ Theory We are now in a position to formulate Ehrlich’s ‘ side-chain ’ theory. Ehrlich assumes that the living matter, protoplasm or bioplasm, of the living cells of the animal body, consists of a huge molecule or group of molecules with a number of atomic groupings, or, as they are termed by the organic chemist, side-chains which are ready to enter into combination with other suitable atomic groups should the latter hap- pen to be present, under the requisite conditions. Thus in fig. 2, a cell is depicted with protuber- ances, of various shapes. These are the ‘ side- chains ’ which will only unite with other side- chains with which they have an affinity. The free bodies represent the latter, each will unite with the cell only by the protuberance, i.e. side- chain, to which it is apposed, as is indicated by Fig. 2.—Diagram to represent the Cell with its various Combining Groups or Side- chains. (After Ehrlich.)