Studies in the Transmission of Sensitization Fromm Other to Child in Human Beings

Abstract

Summary Five cases of asthma and five of hay fever in pregnant women were studied by the Prausnitz-Küstner method as to the passage of antibodies through the placenta from mother to child. In each case the ability of the mother's serum, while she was carrying the child, to give a local passive transfer to a normal individual was established, in most cases with the serum diluted 1:40 and in 1 case as high as 1:320. In no case could similarproperties be shown in the undiluted cord blood or the undiluted child's blood.