Relation of dosage to reaction in anaphylactic shock. (Preliminary communication.)

Abstract

In support of the anaphylatoxic theory of anaphylaxis it has been pointed out that to produce a fatal dose of anaphylatoxin in vitro certain quantitative relations must be maintained between the foreign and the anaphylactic serum. An excess of the foreign protein results in the production of a non-fatal dose of the toxin. That a similar quantitative relation can be demonstrated in anaphylactic animals tested directly with the foreign protein is shown in the following table: Here an excess of the foreign protein above a certain definite dose per body weight results in a decrease in the toxic effects (percentage of deaths). The guinea-pigs here reported were sensitized by subcutaneous injections with 0.01 c.c. pooled human serum. They were tested 14 days later by intravenous (jugular) injections with pooled human serum. Test dose recorded as c.c. per 200 grams of body weight.