ROLE OF INFLAMMATION 179 



able to elicit se\ere reactions in rabbits prepared witii B. lyljliosus 

 filtrate provided the inter\ al ol time between the intradermal and 

 intracranial injections ^vas not longer than forty-eight hours. In- 

 terxals of time as long as se\'enty-t\vo and ninety-six hours between 

 the preparatory and intracranial injections yielded positive re- 

 sults in sites prejxned with meningococctis culture filtrates. This 

 result could well be expected because, as shown before, menin- 

 gococcus acti\e principles give a state of reactivity lasting longer 

 than B. typhosus actixe principles. Considering the duration of 

 the reactivity induced and the end-point titrations, it may be 

 concluded that the intracranial route is just as effective as the 

 intravascular one for the introduction of reacting factors. Similar 

 conclusions were drawn from recent experiments by Alechinsky 

 (1935, 1936) . Inasmuch as the intracranial and intraperitoneal 

 routes may l^e used effectively, for introduction of reacting fac- 

 tors, while the subcutaneous, intraoral and intramuscular routes 

 are ineffective, it is suggestive that it is essential that these factors 

 enter into the general circulation promptly. 



The mechanism through xvhich the blood stream participates 

 in the elicitation of the phenomenon of local skin reactivity re- 

 mains unexplained as yet. The possil^le explanations are as fol- 

 loAvs: 1. The active principles introduced into the blood stream 

 lead to formation of new toxic principles in the blood stream 

 capable of production of the injury described. 2. The active prin- 

 ciples of the phenomenon are capable of eliciting the reaction 

 only by a direct effect upon endothelial elements of the blood 

 vessels. 



Gratia and Linz (1932c) attempted to determine whether an 

 "angeotoxin" is produced as a residt of the intravenous injection 

 of the active principles. For the demonstration of this hypotheti- 

 cal "angeotoxin" they conceived the folloxving experiment: 



Three-tenths c.c. of testicular vaccine virus were injected into 

 the rabbit's testicle. Forty-eight hours later, the inoculated tes- 

 ticle was swollen and turgid. The rabbit was bled to death and 

 after coagulation, the blood was centrifuged and the serum re- 

 moved. The inoculated testicle was removed aseptically and 

 ground to a fine J^ulp in a mortar. Two c.c. of the serum of the 

 inoculated rabbit and 0.2 c.c. of B. coU culture filtrate were 

 mixed. The mixture was incubated for fifteen miniues. After 

 three hours incubation, at 37° c, the material was injected intra- 

 cutaneously into txvo young rabbits. Three days later, there was 



