280 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



About the nature of the meiostagmin reaction with malignant tumors, G. 

 IzAB (Ztschr. Immrnvitatsf. u. Expt. Ther., I, Orig., 21 (1914), No. 1-5, pp. 

 301-S08). — The author concludes that the sera from subjects affected with 

 malignant growths have a lesser surface tension reducing power in enveloping 

 certain fatty acids than the sera from normal subjects. A number of facts 

 elicited seem to point to the belief that this is dependent upon the increased 

 content in the tumor sera of lipoids or lipoid-fixing substances. 



Abderhalden's reaction and its relation to the presence of antithrombin 

 in the blood, H. De Waele (Ztschr. Immunitatsf. u. Expt. Ther.. I. Orig., 21 

 {191 Jt), No. 1-5, pp. 83-90). — The injection of a hydrolyzate consisting chiefly of 

 peptones and amino acids yielded defensive ferments for the proteins from 

 which the peptones and amino acids were obtained. Pi-oteins administered per 

 OS also stimulated the development of protective ferments. Abderhalden's 

 reaction apparently stands in exact relationship to the antithrombin phase. 

 The nature of the relationship will be considered in a future communication. 



Preparation and standardization of vaccines, antitoxins, and serum, C. P. 

 Fitch (Cornell Vet., Jf {1915), No. Ji, pp. 171-1S3). — A general discussion of the 

 topic. 



The pharmacological action of some serum preservatives, C. Yoegtlin 

 (Pub. Health Serv. U. S., Hyg. Lah. Bui. 96 {WIJ,), pp. 81-119, pis. 2, figs. 13).— 

 The effect on animals of normal serum free of preservative and containing 

 trikresol (0.1, 0.25, 0.3, and 0.5 per cent) phenol serum (0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 per 

 cent), formaldehyde serum (1:1,000) and chloroform serum (saturated) was 

 studied. 



" From the experiments described it would seem that chloroform when added 

 to serum, even to the point of saturation, is not capable of imparting to the 

 serum a degree of toxicity which could be compared with that obtained on 

 mixing serum with phenol and trikresol (0.25 and 0.5 per cent). Practically 

 the only elfect which could be produced by the subdural injection of chloroform 

 serum is the result of an increase in intracranial tension. With the use of the 

 gravity method such results are not very apt to follow and it seems very doubt- 

 ful that they occur at all. We, therefore, strongly suggest that chloroform 

 be used as a preservative for antimeningitis serum. It is well recognized that 

 serum preserved with chloroform after long standing will show a cloudiness 

 which is probably due to the partial precipitation of the serum proteins. This 

 fact, however, does not alter the efficiency of such a serum in the treatment of 

 the disease." 



The gravity method is given preference over the syringe method. 



Studies on complement action; with special reference to the fractioning of 

 complement by means of ammonium sulphate, C. H. Browning and T. J. 

 Mackie {Ztsehr. Immunitatsf. u. Expt. Ther., I, Orig., 21 {1911/), No. 1-5, pp. 

 1/22-44^)- — lu these experiments the hemolytic complement of guinea pigs was 

 fractionated with ammonium sulphate. 



In the fractionation of complete serum the psendoglobulin fraction was found 

 in some cases to contain the entire complement, whereas in others it was neces- 

 sary to add albumin to develop the complement action of the native serum. 

 Albumin and euglobulin when used together added some complement action, but 

 when used separately no action whatever. In the fractionation of the mid- 

 dle and end portion by ammonium sulphate the entire euglobulin and a little 

 psendoglobulin were found in the middle portion. The end portion contained 

 the entire albumin and the greater amount of psendoglobulin. The pseudo- 

 globulin was divided into two fractions, one of which was inactive but when 

 mixed with its other component exerted a stronger complement action. The 



