ENDOCRINE FUNCTION OF THE THYMUS GLAND 317 



thymus tissue. The serum thus obtained was tested in vitro as 

 well as in vivo. 



For the further serological studies, a preparation of hemolytic 

 rabbit serum against the red corpuscles of the albino rat was 

 attempted, and, furthermore, chickens were immunized against 

 rat blood, and the action of the normal rat complement carefully 

 examined in these cases, using the ordinary serological technique, 

 which will be given later. 



3. IMMUNIZATION OF THE RABBIT WITH THE THYMUS GLAND OF 

 THE ALBINO RAT (RABBIT, GROUP A) 



a. Process of immimimtion 



A large, healthy female rabbit was immunized with the thy- 

 mus substance of albino rats by intraperitoneal injections. 



Rabbit, Group A, No. 1 

 Date of injection Amount of thymus emulsion injected 



June 25, 1918 2.75 grams of thymus. 



July 1, 1918 3. 10 grams of thymus. 



July 8, 1918 4.12 grams of thymus. 



July 18, 1918 4.5 grams of thymus. 



July 27, 1918 The blood was taken. 



The autopsy findings were as follows: Spleen somewhat 

 smaller than usual, without marked macroscopical alteration, 

 liver normal; kidneys both normal. On the right side, in the 

 middle part of the abdomen, directly inside of the peritoneum, 

 there was a small fibrinous body about 12 mm. in length, 6 mm. 

 in breadth, which is nothing else than an abscess enclosed in a 

 strong fibrinous membrane hanging between the convolutions of 

 the intestine. This abscess was most probably caused by the 

 injection of the thymus emulsion, which though strained, had 

 in it some small particles of connective tissue which were dis- 

 solved with difficulty. 



The separated serum was tested for the presence of the anti- 

 bodies by the precipitin and hemolytic reactions and then in- 

 jected into rats to determine the action in vivo. 



