THE RELATION OF THE LEUCOCYTIC BACTERIOLYSIN TO BODY FLUIDS

1. An extract of horse leucocytes is strongly bactericidal when dissolved in distilled water; it has considerable bactericidal power when dissolved in physiological saline; but it loses its bactericidal properties when mixed with blood serum or with normal or pathological tissue fluids. 2. About half the antibactericidal action of blood serum is due to the serum colloids, about a quarter to the neutral serum crystalloids, and a quarter to the diffusible alkalies. Diffusible acids have no antibactericidal action. 3. The addition of boric acid to an inactive mixture of leucocytic extract and serum or other body fluid occasionally restores part of the original bactericidal power, but never more than a small fraction of that power.