horror autotoxicus

English

Etymology

Latinate neologism coined c. 1900 by Paul Ehrlich in German, from Latin horror, auto- (“self”), toxicus (“toxic”). Compare horror vacui.

Noun

horror autotoxicus (uncountable)

1. (historical, immunology) The now-discredited principle that the body will not harm itself by its own immune reactions.
   • 1989, Arthur M. Silverstein, A History of Immunology, →ISBN, page 163:

     Ehrlich's dictum of horror autotoxicus makes no claim that autoantibodies may not be formed; it only suggests that they are somehow prevented from acting.