150 IMMUNOLOGY 



effectively at low temperatures, while syphilitic reagiii or anti- 

 bodies react more effectively at body temperature. 



According to Mackenzie, Burmeister found that the lysins, 

 dissociated from sensitized erythrocytes, give a positive Was- 

 sermann reaction. In his opinion there are some cases of 

 paroxysmal hemoglobinuria which give a positive Wassermann test 

 that are not syphilitic in nature while others show a relationship 

 between the two diseases. 



For more recent work upon the subject of natural reagins or 

 antibodies having an affinity for antigens used in the diagnosis of 

 syphilis, sec the review of the literature by Kemp (1940) and 

 experimental studies by Kahn (1940-1941), Sherwood, Bond and 

 Clark (1941); and SherAvood, Bond, and Canuteson (1941). 



The interesting point about these normal biological reagins read- 

 ing witli Wassermann antigen is that they are another example of 

 antibodies that will react at low temperatures mucli more intensely 

 than they do at body temperatures. There is no reason to assume 

 that they are the same antibodies that are present in paroxysmal 

 hemoglobinuria because these normal reagins are ])resent in tlie 

 lower animals as well as in many cases of tuberculosis, leprosy, 

 malaria, and in certain types of far advanced malignancies that 

 do not show hemoglobinuria. It is possible that individuals with 

 paroxysmal hemoglobinuria may have malaria, tuberculosis, and 

 syphilis but the occurrence is probably a coincidence. 



Reagins. — Atopic reagins are antibody-like substances dis- 

 covered l\y Prausnitz and Kiistner (1921) in the l)lood of patients 

 suffering from hay fever or asthma. Kiistner was sensitive to fish. 

 He found that when some of his serimi was injected intradermally 

 into the forearm of an individual not sensitive to fish tlie area of 

 skin so infiltrated became temporarily sensitive to an extract of 

 fisli proteins. Reagins for the various pollens have been found in 

 the blood of pollen hay fever and asthma cases. Coca suggested 

 that these antibody-like substances be called "reagins" rather 

 than antibodies. He took this position because, at that time, he did 

 not believe that these substances developed as a result of antigenic 

 stimulation in individuals possessing the necessary inheritance 

 factor for allergy. This question will be discussed more fully in 

 another chapter. 



