Immune Tissue Response to Non-hemolytic Streptococci.

Abstract

We1 originally reported that if a rabbit had been recently inoculated by any route with streptococci of any type it would fail to show a secondary reaction following intracutaneous inoculation with suitable strains of streptococcus viridans. This might be due to one of two conditions: first a hyperergic, second an immune state. First, if due to a hyperergic state there might be a combination of accelerated hyperergic-secondary-reaction with the primary reaction; hence the initial response to introduction of the same sized inoculum would constantly increase up to a certain point. Second, if an effective immune state had been induced, the local protective mechanism against the inoculum might be so efficient that the sum of the primary and accelerated secondary reactions would be smaller than the initial response of a normal animal.These two states were easily demonstrated in rabbits, according to the route used for inoculation. When repeated intracutaneous injections were made of 0.1, 0.01 and 0.0001 cc. at...