Immunisation and antibody reactions: a series of experimental studies

Abstract

1. By means o f many animal experiments, a thorough investigation has been made into the principles upon which our knowledge of immunity is based. The general conclusion I have drawn from a consideration of the investigation as a whole is , that the question of immunity is of such great complicity that only a few of the most elementary details are understood. If no benefit, other than the realisation of our ignorance and the difficulties with which we have to contend, resulted from this work, I should still be satisfied.I have heard well known clinicians lecture to students on the subject of infection and immunity in such a way that the audience must have believed that the subject had been completely investigated and that no doubts now remained about the methods by which a patient overcomes an infection. From the researches described in Part II, the real truth is, that we are not in a position to dogmatise on even the simplest immunological reaction. For instance, from the experiments prepared with B. suipestifer vaccines, we saw that immunised animals could possess large amounts of antibodies and yet show no immunity to a lethal dose of living organisms. On the other hand, in the pneumococcal investigation it was shown that animals could possess a high degree of immunity with an apparent absence of antibodies. While lastly in the tuberculin investigations, animals which had been immunised with large quantities of tuberculin appeared to be susceptible both to the infection and also to produce very limited amounts of antibody. The correlation of such facts is at present beyond our powers. My plea is that we should re-investigate the whole problem of immunity from the very beginning. Let us freely admit our ignorance and the difficulties of the subject. Carefully controlled researches will unravel the problems and, when a solution is forth ­ coming, the whole therapeutic field of medicine will be revolutionised.2. Apart from a general investigation into the problems of immunity, I set out to discover if the physical and chemical processes employed in the production of detoxicated and defatted vaccines affected the antigenic values of these vaccines. Fortunately, a definíte clear- cut answer to this question can be be given which is based on the experimental results described in Chapters I . - V. Part II.I can state with every degree of confidence that as judged byI. The production of antibodies andII. Protection to a lethal dose of organismsthe physical and chemical processes employed in the manufacture of detoxicated and defatted vaccines have destroyed their antigenic value.