ABSTRACTS 371 



dog sera of fixing or absorbing complement with various non-specific 

 lipoidal and bacterial antigens, the effect being in larger doses attribut- 

 able to the anesthetic ; the changes observed in dogs following splenec- 

 tomy under ether were somewhat more profound than those in rabbits." 



P. B. H. 



Studies in N on-Specific Complement Fixation: IV. The Relation of 

 Serum Lipoids and Proteins to Non-Specific Complement Fixation 

 with Normal Rabbit and Dog Sera. John A. Kolmer. (Jour. 

 Infect. Diseases, 1916, 18, 46-63.) 



The aim of the present study was to determine the relation of serum 

 lipoids to the process of non-specific complement fixation (1) by ex- 

 tractions of serum with lipoid solvents (ether, chloroform, etc.), and 



(2) by feeding and immunization experiments with various lipoids. 

 The method employed antilytic and Wassermann tests with rabbit 

 and dog sera, both active and inactivated (56°C. for one-half hour), 

 before and after extraction. It was found that both serum lipoids 

 and proteins were concerned in the antilytic and non-specific comple- 

 ment fixation; also, that extraction with ether or chloroform usually 

 diminished the antilytic and complement-fixing powers of a serum, 

 while enteral and parenteral administration of lipoids increased the anti- 

 lytic and complement-fixing powers. Sera extracted with ether were 

 rendered more antilytic, but heating an extracted serum reduced the 

 antilytic titer compared with plain heated serum. It was further 

 concluded "that both the globulin and albumin (filtrate) fractions 

 of normal rabbit and dog sera possess thermostabile antilytic and 

 complement-fixing properties .... The antilytic and com- 

 plement-fixing substances of normal rabbit and dog serum are not 

 dialyzable."— P. B. H. 



Studies in Non-Specific Complement Fixation: V. The Effect of Heat 

 on Normal Rabbit and Dog Sera in Relation to Antilytic and Non- 

 Specific Complement Fixatio7i Reactions. John A. Kolmer and Mary 

 E. Trist. (Jour. Infect. Diseases, 1916, 18, 64-87.) 

 The authors had already shown (1) the ability of normal rabbit and 

 dog sera to yield non-specific complement fixation with various bac- 

 terial and lipoidal antigens; (2) the influence of anesthetics upon this 

 property and (3) the relation of serum lipoids to the process. The 

 aim of the present investigation was to study the influence of cer- 

 tam factors and methods for lessening its effects in complement fixa- 

 tion tests. The tests were conducted with lipoidal extracts and with 

 three bacterial antigens previously mentioned (vide supra), the doses 

 being the same as used in Wassermann tests. Guinea pig comple- 

 ment was used. The hemolysins were antisheep (rabbit), antihuman 

 (rabbit) and antiox (rabbit). Tests for the antihemolytic properties 

 of serum were performed by (1) incubating heated serum and com- 

 plement for one hour; (2) adding the cells and two units of hemolysin; 



(3) re-incubating for one hour. The complement fixation tests were 



