Lectures on chemical pathology in its relation to practical medicine : delivered at the University and Bellevue Medical School, New York City / by C.A. Herter.

Date:
1902
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Lectures on chemical pathology in its relation to practical medicine : delivered at the University and Bellevue Medical School, New York City / by C.A. Herter. 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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    LECTURE I THE CHEMICAL DEFENCES OF THE ORGANISM AGAINST DISEASE Introductory—Phenomena of disease commonly due to reaction of cells to injury—Chemical defences of organism reside ultimately in the cells—The defence against bacteria—Bactericidal action of gastric juice, of urine, of vaginal secretion—Bactericidal action of blood and lymph—Globulicidal action of serum—Bacteriolysines—Haemolysines —Alkalescence of blood—Agglutinative property of blood—Antitoxic action of cells and fluids of the body—Chemical nature of the anti- toxic defence—Ehrlich’s side-chain hypothesis—Objections to the hypothesis—Globulins and strength of diphtheria antitoxin— Ehrlich and Morgenroth’s hypothesis of the constitution of antitoxic sera — Wassermann’s experiments — Chemical defences against poisons other than toxines—Theory of oxidation—Combustion of toxic substances by oxidation—Reduction—Hydration and dehydra- tion—Synthetic processes and their detoxicating action—Ethereal sulphates—Hippuric acid—Urea and its relation to ammonia— Methylation—Protection of the organism against presence of free acid—Part played by ammonia and other alkalis—Acid intoxication of diabetes—Role of the leucocytes in protecting the organism against arsenic—Conditions which may modify the injurious action of poisons. Gentlemen,—I propose to discuss with you during the coming session some of the problems of chemical pathology, not so much from the standpoint of the chemist as from that of the practitioner of medicine. In consequence of the intense activity of numerous investigators, there are now a very large number of observations upon the changes in the chemistry of the human organism in disease, and in many instances it has been possible to gain some insight as to the nature of the processes that give rise to these changes. It will be my task to bring to your notice those B