HOWARD T. KARSNER 983 



effects. Histamine does not produce the temperature changes nor the alteration of 

 blood coagulability seen in anaphylaxis, nor does it produce a refractory state. 

 Quinine augments anaphylactic shock but has no efifect on treatment by histamine. 

 Karsner and Hanzlik have shown that intraperitoneal administration of histamine 

 produces platelet thrombi in pulmonary capillaries, not found in anaphylaxis. De 

 Eds' found that in pigeons anaphylactic shock shows no clumping of thrombocytes, 

 whereas negative results are not so clear cut with histamine. Manwaring, Monaco, 

 and Marino^ state that the response to histamine is more widespread in the body and 

 more definitely due to edema than is true of anaphylactic shock. 



The substance which produces effects most closely simulating anaphylactic shock 

 is Witte peptone. The reactions of smooth muscle, pulmonary distention, fall of blood 

 pressure and of temperature, alteration of coagulation, etc., are practically identical. 

 The assumption that in anaphylactic shock there is formed a protein decomposition 

 product led to the belief that peptone is, or closely resembles, the anaphylactic poison. 

 In the light of our present doubt concerning the action of ferments in anaphylaxis, 

 the work with peptone cannot be regarded as of critical significance in interpreting 

 the reaction. In addition, the fact that peptone does not produce a refractory state 

 is strong evidence against its being the poison of anaphylactic shock. Its effects are 

 due to the peptone and not to a small content of histamine (Hanke and Koessler).'' 



PHYSICAL THEORIES 



The least complex of the physical theories deals with specific precipitation, dis- 

 cussed above. That physical changes occur in anaphylactic shock is beyond question, 

 as has been pointed out earlier in this chapter, but that they are peculiar to this reac- 

 tion has not been demonstrated. Some of the hypotheses refer only to changes in the 

 circulating fluids without attempt to harmonize with the presumably correct cellular 

 theory. Thus, Doerr" supposed that adsorption of a hypothetical antagonistic frac- 

 tion of complement by precipitates liberates a toxic element. Kritschewskys found 

 that the sap of Cotyledon scheiderecki precipitates plasma proteins and agglutinates 

 and hemolyzes erythrocytes. Intravenous or subcutaneous injections produce symp- 

 toms resembling anaphylaxis, believed to be due to change in disperseness of the 

 plasma colloids. The anatomical findings lack the uniformity of those of true ana- 

 phylaxis. The results and interpretations are similar to those of Doerr and Mol- 

 dovan* following intravenous injections of water colloidal sols of silicic acid, nucleinic 

 acid, and dialyzed iron hydroxide. Kopaczewski^ found that the injection of serum 

 rendered toxic by addition of bacterial suspensions or colloid gels reduces the surface 

 tension. The electrical potential of the serum is altered so that with 8 volts, instead of 



I de Eds, F.: /. Pharmacol. &" Exper. Therap., 28, 451. 1926; de Eds, F., and Somerfield, H. A.: 

 Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol, a" Med., 20, 498. 1923. 



= Manwaring, W. H., Monaco, R. E., and Marino, D. H.: /. Immunol., 8, 217. 1923. 



3 Hanke, M. T., and Koessler, K. K.: /. Biol. Chem., 43, 567. 1920. 



^ Doerr, R.: loc. cit. 



s Kritschewsky, J. L.: J. Infect. Dis., 22, loi. 1918. 



^ Doerr, R., and Moldovan, J.: Ztschr.f. ImmunUatsforsch. u. exper. Therap., 5, 125. 1910. 



7 Kopaczewski, W.: loc. cil.; Kopaczewski, W., and Roffo, A. H.: loc. cit. 



