Studies in Anaphylaxis

Abstract

Abstract Recent investigations on the inhibition of anaphylactic shock by use of a blood anti-coagulant indicate a close relationship between the gross symptoms of shock and changes in the dispersion of the blood colloids. Kyes and Strauser (1), by rendering the blood incoagulable with heparin, have prevented the symptoms of anaphylaxis in sensitized pigeons. In confirmatory papers (2) (3), we have reported observations which indicate that no symptoms of anaphylaxis may be recorded in the majority of cases, in guinea pigs hypersensitive to horse serum, provided the clotting time of the blood is changed with heparin. There were, however, some instances in which the animals reacted typically to the critical dose of antigen, although the blood had previously been rendered incoagulable. It is the purpose of this paper to offer a possible explanation for these observations, and to present certain findings that tend to support the theory on the physico-chemical nature of anaphylaxis, in particular the nature of the symptoms observed in guinea pigs.