Hemolysins in the sera of carcinoma and syphilis

Abstract

A few years ago the writer commenced a research, the object of which was to determine in what diseases hemolysins commonly occurred and whether or not they were specific for these diseases. The ultimate purpose was to obtain data that one could use in diagnosis. A preliminary report was published. The work had to be abandoned shortly thereafter. Since then, other investigators — notably Kelling — have taken up the study of hemolysins in connection with their use in diagnosis. It occurred to the writer that it would be very desirable to determine the question as to the specific nature of the hemolysins found in various diseases. With this object in view, a study of the serum in several diseases has been undertaken. In this brief report are given the results obtained in carcinoma and syphilis. The sera and corpuscles of 12 cases of carcinoma and 7 cases of tertiary syphilis were examined. In 10 other cases of tertiary syphilis, the corpuscles alone were examined. The experiments were planned in groups. In each group, the corpuscles of at least one normal person, and several cases of syphilis and carcinoma were exposed to the action of sera derived from syphilitic and carcinomatous patients. The customary technic was employed, special care being taken to use only fresh specimens of blood. Equal parts of serum and of a one per cent. saline suspension of corpuscles (washed four times) were incubated at 37° C. for one or two hours, sedimented on ice over night, and compared with control tubes of the serum. In this way were studied the actions of syphilitic and carcino-matous sera on their own corpuscles, on normal corpuscles, and on the corpuscles of other cases of syphilis and carcinoma. The following results were obtained :