The extension and importance of this factor, applicable to the whole animal kingdom, proved the truth and general scope of the phagocyte doctrine of immunity.
As soon as he arrived at the Pasteur Institute he undertook active researches with the object of developing and defending the phagocyte theory.
Though he was at last obliged to bow to evidence, he yet remained unfavourable to the phagocyte theory, and all his assistants followed his example.
The new-born "phagocyte theory" was thus very well received by naturalists and by Virchow, the father of cellular pathology.
Once again the phagocyte theory rose triumphant from the test.
In that article he expounded the phagocyte theory of immunity.
Metchnikoff's health had suffered from the numerous emotions provoked by the struggle in defence of the phagocyte doctrine and also from a series of sad events.
However, the general impression of the Congress was clearly favourable to the phagocyte theory.
He began by the microbes of erysipelas and showed that the phenomena of the disease, as well as those of recovery, were in full accord with the postulates of the phagocyte theory.
That experiment formed the basis of the phagocyte theory, to the development of which I devoted the next twenty-five years of my life.
In that work, although he himself had invented the designation “neuronophag” for a phagocyte that devours nerve-cells, he denies the existence of such a power.
In these conditions the sarcoplasm acts phagocytically with regard to the myoplasm, just as the chromophag becomes the phagocyte of the pigment of the hair, or the neuronophag devours the nerve-cell.
For our life is the prize of the combat in these novel lists which science has revealed to our view through the microscope, and health is but the token of the triumphant victory of the phagocyte over the microbe.
It has also been found that the phagocyte and tissue cells in the neighborhood of the area of irritation produce antipoisons or natural antitoxins, which neutralize the bacterial poisons and kill the microorganisms of disease.
The third phagocyte got enough of it in about one minute and turned squarely around, fleeing across the whole field, the germ hanging on like a snake on a dog.
Finally the germ drew off, and hurried to where another phagocyte was wandering aimlessly.
Ordinarily this would be easy, but the germ, instead of allowing itself to be attacked, attacked the phagocyte in a battle royal that lasted over fifteen minutes.
He says: "While observing a malaria germ I saw a phagocyte make its way to the malaria germ with the intent of devouring it.
It appears that the bacteria or other foreign bodies in the blood which are attacked by the phagocyte become assimilated until they are a part of the phagocyte itself.
Even the phagocyte theory depends largely for its validity upon chemiotaxis, which latter was a property of the products of the bacteria contained in the blood serum.
Metschnikoff explained also how it comes to pass that the phagocyte is able to encounter bacteria when both are circulating through the blood.
A microscopist has found an organism called the Phagocyte in the blood, which pursues and devours the Bacilli.
If these multiply too rapidly, the phagocyte reserves are mobilized, new recruits by the million are called out, until the bodily force is victorious or exhausted.
