PRODUCTION OF ANTIPNEUMOCOCCIC SERUM 579 



were equally reliable for measuring the protective antibody, but 

 that the prophylactic technique was more convenient. Trevan 1418 

 found that intravenous administration of serum did not increase 

 the accuracy of titrations. It appears, therefore, that curative 

 tests on nr'ce for estimating therapeutic value of serum fail to offer 

 any information in addition to that obtained by the usual protec- 

 tion tests and, because of their greater inconvenience, cannot be 

 considered as of sufficient worth to warrant general adoption. 



Tests of other effects. During the development of antipneumo- 

 coccic serum therapy, investigators have sought for qualities in se- 

 rum other than those of an antibacterial nature. Attempts have 

 been made to demonstrate antitoxic properties (Klemperer broth- 

 ers 724 ), but no convincing evidence has yet been brought forward 

 that pneumococcal antitoxin has been produced. The work of 

 Clowes, Jamieson and Olson (1926), 244 of Parker and McCoy, 1062 

 and of Coca 246 has already been discussed in some detail in other 

 chapters, but as yet none of the methods described has been 

 adopted for the routine testing of therapeutic antipneumococcic 

 serum. 



With the Goodner intradermal technique, Curphey and Baruch 

 (1930) 292 tested the therapeutic effect in rabbits of so-called exu- 

 date antiserum. When compared by mouse protection tests, the 

 preparations showed essentially the same antibody content as se- 

 rum obtained from horses immunized by formalinized vaccines. 

 When compared in rabbits for therapeutic effect, however, it was 

 found that 70.4 per cent of animals treated with the "exudate 

 antiserum" survived, while only 34.7 per cent of those given the 

 usual antipneumococcic serum lived. As a result, the authors as- 

 sumed that "exudate antiserums" contain substances, other than 

 antibacterial antibodies, which exert greater therapeutic action. 



Sabin 1204 " 6 reported experiments which led him to conclude that 

 the therapeutic action of antipneumococcic serum depends to a 

 considerable extent on a non-antibacterial factor. He found type- 

 specific protective antibody in serum after complete precipitation 



