HAY-FEVER 229 



It would be impractical to discuss all the theories enlisted for anaphy- 

 laxis. Exact facts are stil] insufficient. Experimental work is constantly 

 disclosing new ideas. 



More detailed reviews may be found in the following articles: 



H. Pfeiffer: Problem of Pro teid Anaphyl axis. G. Fischer, Jena, 1910. 



A. Schittenhelm: Anaphylaxis from the standpoint of pathological 

 physiology and the clinic. Jahresbericht iiber die Ergebnisse der Immun- 

 itats forschung. Enke, Stuttgart, 1910. 



J. Citron: Critical review of the problem of anaphylaxis. Fol. sero- 

 logica, 1911, Bd. vii, H. 3. 



Friedberger: Anaphylaxis. Fortschritte der deutschen Klinik. Bd. ii. 

 Urban u. Schwarzenberg, Berlin- Wien, 1911. 



H. Bold: Bacterial Anaphylatoxin and its Importance in Infections. 

 G. Fischer, Jena, 1912. 



Besides bacterial infections, recent teaching places urticaria, 

 Hay-fever, eclampsia, bronchial asthma and hay-fever into the class 

 of diseases with an anaphylactic basis. This is especially 

 applicable to hay fever, formerly considered a pure intoxication, the 

 pollen toxin having been described by Dunbar as the etiological factor. 

 In Germany the disease seems to come chiefly from pollen of the grasses 

 and grains (rye pollen being most active); whereas in America, ap- 

 parently, the most important pollen springs from the ambrosia (rag 

 weed), solidago (golden rod), and other members of the family of the 

 compositae. 



The toxin is isolated by mixing for ten hours the ground pollen with 

 5 per cent. NaCl solution ard 0.5 per cent, phenol at 37 C. Then, 

 in the form of a proteid it is precipitated by the addition of eight to ten 

 volumes of 96 per cent, alcohol and the resultant white precipitate dis- 

 solved in physiological salt solution. 



Susceptibility to the pollen toxin is limited only to certain individuals. 

 Some are influenced by the rye pollen only, others by the golden rod alone, 

 while a third class is affected by all. The cause for this peculiar idiosyn- 

 crasy is unknown. The majority of observers are, however, now agreed 

 that one is dealing here with a reaction of hypersusceptibility, as was first 

 pointed out by Weichardt and Wolff- Eisner. Only by means of antibodies 

 does this non-toxic pollen proteid become a poison. 



All those who suffer from hay-fever develop a marked conjunctivitis 

 whenever even the slightest amount of pollen proteid (i/iooo mg.) is 

 dropped into the conjunctival sac. In addition, all the symptoms of hay- 

 fever or asthma may be incited. Sim^ar effects are in evidence when sub- 

 cutaneous injections are resorted to. 



For purposes of immunization horses are most suitable, but only those 

 which after an injection of pollen extracts manifest a local and general re- 



