Vol. 60, 1909 - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

EDITORIAL. 313
assumption on the phagocytosis of red Recently Muir and Martin, Levaditi and
blood cells by leucocytes, which occurs luman, and Huhne.Xewfeld have ascribed
only when a special haemotropic serum is the action of normal opsonins to complejpresent.
hi the haemotropic serum, accord- ment. Cowie and Chapin have found that
[ing to Xewfeld, the physico chemical con- normal guinea pig serum restores the op-
Idition is so changed that a part of the body sonic power to normal serum which has
I
is modified so as to serve as a stimulus or been heated to 550° C. They believe from
jappetizer for the phagocytes. Virulent their experiments that opsonins (normal)
organisms dissolve with greater difficulty exert their action because of an amboceptorland
give off less appetizer, and because of complement group. Hektoen has recently
[this there is less phagocytosis of virulent published results of experiments from which
|organisms than of organisms with decreased he concludes that the activating element is
(virulence. Spontaneous phagocytosis, ac- free from the opsonin, and therefore he be-
Icording to Xewfeld, is due to changes in lieves that opsonins belong to the third order
|the cell, one of these changes accidentally of antibodies of Ehrlich.
istimulating the leucocytes to phagocytosis.
Iln immunization Xewfeld believes a specific
ueprosy.
limmune substance is produced, which sub- i^ver since Biblical times the leper has
stance modifies bacterial or other cells so been considered as "unclean," and in cerithat
they will serve to stimulate the leuco- tain localities, even up to the present time,
icytes to phagocytosis. Immune opsonin or the afflicted person cries out, or bv a bell or
jbacteriotropin, is a thermostable substance other means indicates his presence, that he
fwhicli does not require complement. Xor- may be shunned, from the supposed fear of
[mal opsonin, on the other hand, is believed infecting others. The great dread of the
jto produce its action because of normal disease leprosv has undoubtedly been furjambncepter
and complement, which gently thered bv many writers of fiction', and such
dissolves bacteria and in this way stimu- books as '"Ben Hur" have had great influllates
the leucocytes to phagocytosis. Im- ence; on the other hand, there has been very
jmune ojisonins resist temperatures up to little said or done to check or lessen the
;55 C. for one hour, 65° at times not being popular prejudice in this direction, which
sufficient to destroy their action. If the has been too often shared bv physicians,
opsonizing action of immune .serum is once who, not having devoted special attention
ost it cannot be regained by the addition to the matter, accept thoughtlessly the gen-
)f fresh complement. Muir and Martin eral verdict. It may safely be said that the
lave found that inactivated immune op- word "leprosy" strikes more terror into the
;onin absorbs little or no complement. He- heart of its victim, or suspected victim, and
ause of the properties of immune opsonins, also into the mind of the average lavman,
hey are generally regarded as belonging or even physician, than that of almost any
the antibodies of the second order of other disease known; and yet, to those who
ihrlich. They apparenlly iwssess two are really well informed, it bears no comnroups,
the opsont,))hore and the hapto- parison to either cancer or tuberculosis in
>hore. Of these the opsonophore group is the mental distress which it should cause in
lestroyed by heat, age, acids, etc. It is those afflicted, while syphilis and many
bus seen tliat immune opsonins resemble other diseases should inspire far more dread
he agglutinins and precipitins in structure of contagion. Few realize that, in this
nd by some investigators have been climate at least, leprosy is really a harmless
liought to be identical with agglutinins. affection to those who may come in contact
Normal opsonins, though not ackiiowl- with it. A good many years ago the Lepdged
by Wright to be different from im- rosy Committee of the Royal College of
lune opsonins, have characteristics by Physicians of London wrote as follows:
rhich they differ from the latter. Xormal "The all but unanimous conviction of the
psonins resemble compleineiit in tiiat they most experienced observers in different
re absorbed or fixed by sensitized and noil- parts of the world is quite opposed to the
snsitized bacteria, blood corpuscles, spe- belief that leprosy is contagious or comific
precipitates and indifferent bodies, municable by proximity or contact with the
nd exhibit thermolability aild suscepti- disease." And recently, in connection with
ility to deterioration by age. Noguchi the Karly case, Dr. Welch, of Johns Hopas
found that normal opsonins resemble kins, remarked: "Leprosy is practically
implement in that they are highly labile the least contagious of all the infectious
odies, lose tlieir action on standing sev- diseases." Dr. L. Duncan Bulkley, v\hom
"al days, are preserved for a long time we quote, after careful study of Leviticus,
hen i)reseiit in the blood in a dry state, chap, l^ and 14, and of all the other referiid
ill this condition can be heated to 135° ences to leprosy in the Bible, is convinced
without destruction of their functions, that what we know by that name was not