Effects of Fibro-histiocytic System Extract on Bacteria

Abstract

Comparative measuring experiments on the bactericidal power of the subcutaneous tissue, bone marrow and spleen extracts and the blood serum were made by a subcutaneous injection of a suspension of dead bacilli coli and a hypodermal insertion of a wick containing the bacilli. The following results were obtained.
1. Three days after the subcutaneous injection of the bacilli suspension, bactericidal substance appeared a little stronger in the bone marrow than in the subcutaneous tissue; it appeared far stronger in the spleen but had not appeared in the blood serum. It was produced in the spleen for a long time but was lost early in the subcutaneous tissue and the bone marrow.
2. Three days after a subcutaneous insertion of a wick containing dead bacilli, bactericidal substance appeared in the subcutaneous tissue at the same rate as in the case of subcutaneous injection. At this stage, it was not seen in the bone marrow, spleen and serum. Two weeks later, the bactericidal substance began to increase in the blood serum. Three weeks later, it was a little stronger in the bone marrow and even stronger in the spleen. At this time, the bactericidal substance in the subcutaneous tissue did not increase too much, and was weaker than that in the spleen, and a little stronger than that in the bone marrow. Therefore, compared with the subcutaneous injection, the bactericidal substance was produced longer locally. In the subcutaneous insertion of a wick containing dead bacilli, it was produced later in the spleen and the bone marrow, Little difference was seen in the amount of bactericidal substance in the blood serum in the two cases.
3. The ratio of the numbers of fibrocytes, fibrohistiocytes, histiocytes, monocytes and leucocytic cells in the subcutaneous tissue to that of reticulum cells and their derivative cells in the spleen was 1:5.8 in volume.
4. 3, 5 and 9 days after the subcutaneous injection of bacilli, the bactericidal power of a unit of volume of the subcutaneous tissue cell bodies was remarkably stronger than that of the spleen.
5. The fibrohistiocytes and histiocytes in the subcutaneous tissue strongly increased and their total volume came at last to occupy more than half of the total volume of all connective tissue cells. Therefore, these cells are presumed to be the main producer of bactericidal substance.