878 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. [Vol.36 



action of hypochlorites on albuminous solutions, the action of chloramin-T on 

 albumins, the action of hypochlorites and chloramin-T on amino acids, intrav- 

 enous injections of hypochlorites and chloramin-T, and chloramin-T injections. 



The effect of various chem^ical substances on the hemolytic reaction, N. P. 

 Shebwood (Jour. Infect. Diseases, 20 (1911), No. 2, pp. 185-200).— Data, ob- 

 tained from the investigation of the effect of lactic acid, hydrochloric acid, 

 sodium bicarbonate, and acetone on the complement content of rabbits in vivo ; 

 of ether and chloroform anesthesia on the hydrogen ion concentration and 

 complement content of the blood of normal rabbits ; and of the influence of car- 

 bon dioxid, lactic acid, hydrochloric acid, uric acid, urea, benzoic acid, tar- 

 taric acid, hydrazin sulphate, acetic acid, acetone, ether, and chloroform on 

 the hemolytic reaction in vitro are reported in detail and discussed. 



The data show an apparent drop in complement as a result of anesthesia. 

 This, hovi'ever, was found not to be constant. " The apparent drop probably 

 is the result of the presence of the anesthetic, as well as of a slight increase 

 in acidity. Sodium bicarbonate and lactic acid injected into rabbits did not 

 cause a drop in complement ; if anything, they caused an increase. The lactic 

 acid was probably oxidized over into carbonates by the body, thereafter acting 

 as an alkali." Hydrochloric acid injected into rabbits caused a marked drop 

 in complement. This is considered to be due to the nonoxidizability of the 

 mineral acids in the body. Acetone injected in fairly large amounts failed to 

 cause a drop in complement. 



Carbon dioxid, lactic acid, hydrochloric acid, urea, benzoic acid, tartaric acid, 

 acetic acid, acetone, ether, chloroform, and hydrazin sulphate were found to 

 deflect or destroy hemolytic complement in certain concentrations. All of these 

 agents except urea and carbon dioxid caused a linking of human red blood 

 cells in certain concentrations. 



" In general it may be said that the zone of concentrations fixing complement 

 very nearly approximates, and in many cases coincides with, the weakest 

 dilutions producing hemolysis, and may extend down to include a few concen- 

 trations which are unable to produce hemolysis. The amount present in the 

 blood is normally many times less than the amount required to affect com- 

 plement. Under some pathologic conditions the concentration in the blood may 

 be greatly increased, nearly approaching the amount which would affect 

 complement." 



It is indicated in the case of the anesthetics that there is " a twofold 

 mechanism inhibiting hemolysis by amboceptor and complement — the action 

 of the anesthetic on the permeability of the membrane, and the deflection of 

 complement." The possibility that "some organic compounds might occasionally 

 play some r61e in either inhibiting or intensifying the anaphylactic shock, since 

 complement seems to be involved in this reaction," is suggested. 



The passive transference of nonspecific antibodies, P. K. Olitsky and B. S. 

 Denzeb (Jour. Infect. Diseases, 20 (1911), No. 2, pp. 145-150, figs. 5). — Experi- 

 ments are reported in which one rabbit was repeatedly inoculated with increas- 

 ing doses of dead typhoid bacilli grown on agar slant and another animal 

 similarly inoculated with organisms of the same strain but grown on serum 

 media. Care was taken to exclude particles of the media from the suspension 

 used for inoculation. Ten days after the last injection blood was obtained 

 from the animals and in the first case designated as " plain-agar typhoid 

 Immune serum " and in the second as " serum-agar typhoid immune serum." 

 Guinea pigs were sensitized to these sera and later killed, and the uteri removed 

 and tested In Locke's solution according to the procedure of Dale. 



In the case of the guinea pig injected with plain typhoid immune serum the 

 uteri had absorbed typhoid antibodies but there was no reaction to serum. In 



