Nature of the toxic factors in burns studied in germ-free guinea pigs

Abstract

Toxicity (action on migration of leukocytes in culture) of the serum and saline extracts of the internal organs after burns was studied in experiments on germ-free and contaminated guinea pigs. Despite the total absence of a microbial flora, the toxic properties of the serum and extracts of internal organs of the germ-free animals were the same as those of the contaminated guinea pigs. The results point to the important role of histiogenic factors in the development of burn toxemia.