On the nature, action, and therapeutic value of the active principles of tuberculin : an investigation / by William Hunter.

  • Hunter, William, 1861-1937.
Date:
1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the nature, action, and therapeutic value of the active principles of tuberculin : an investigation / by William Hunter. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    ment membrane. This behaviour is more that of a crystal- loidal, as distinguished from a colloidal substance ; of a crystalline as distinguished from an albuminous body. If we assume for the moment that it is a product of bacterial action, its behaviour as thus described is more that of a toxine (poisonous alkaloid) than of a toxalbumin (poisonous proteid). There is, however, another class of bodies standing in a different and even closer relation to bacteria than the above-mentioned products, namely, the proteins. These are albuminous substances derived from the plasma of the bacteria themselves, and are thus to be distinguished from toxines and toxalbumins, which are products of the fer- mentative action of bacteria on the surrounding tissue. First described by Nencki in I860, these bodies have recently received great attention, and have been shown by Buchner and others to possess properties even more re- markable than those of toxalbumins. In particular, in this relation they have a remarkable power of resisting the action of heat. The behaviour of the active principle of tuberculin in this respect conforms, therefore, to that of a protein. On the other hand, such a body would not be dialysable in the way ascribed by Koch to his active prin- ciple. The only substance capable of fulfilling, although still with difficulty, all the conditions laid down by Koch for his active principle would, in my opinion, he one of crys- talloidal nature—presumably a toxine. Such a body might be (1) in sufficiently close association with one of proteid nature as to be carried down when the latter was precipi- tated by absolute alcohol, and yet (2) at the same time sufficiently loosely attached to be dialysable away. Fur- ther, it might (3) be able to resist the action of high tem- perature without losing its poisonous properties. On th$