ANAPHYLAXIS OR ALLERGY 



199 



toxicatioii/'^ Methylguanidine is said to produce somewhat similar 

 symptoms,-" and other amines possibly may be involved. (See Chap- 

 ter iv, Ptomains; Chapter xix, Pressor liases.) 



CTT 



] I X X 



HC=C— CH,— C'T[ ( Nil.,) —coon 

 Histiclinc 



fir 



/^ 

 HX X 



HO=(_'— CH,— CH,— NH, 

 /3 — imidazolyletliylaniine 

 ( ITistainiiu' ) . 



The relation of the normal toxicity of certain foreign sera to ana- 

 phylactic intoxication has not been determined, but there seem to be 

 both definite similarities and differences,-^ which have been discussed 

 by Loewit; '-"^ chief of these diflferences is the absence of the bronchial 

 spasm with pulmonary emphysema which is characteristic of anaphy- 

 laxis. 



The anaphylactic poison would seem to be after the order of the 

 alkaloidal poisons, at least from the pharmacological standpoint, since 

 it produces its effects quickly, and these effects, no matter how se- 

 vere, are strictly transitory, passing off completely in a few hours, 

 which indicates that (like morphine, strychnine, etc.) they do not 

 produce any deep-seated structural alterations in the tissues. Ac- 

 cording to Schultz -- the chief effects are directly on the smooth 

 muscles. Such anatomical alterations as are produced, of which 

 hemorrhages and waxy degeneration of the voluntary muscles of 

 respiration -^ are most noticeable, are ascribable to the effect on 

 respiration, which in the guinea-pig often amounts to total asphyxia- 

 tion through spasm of the musculature of the bronchioles (Auer and 

 Lewis) with profound permanent emphysematous distension of the 

 lungs. This effect is peripheral, and is inhibited by atropine.-* Cal- 

 cium salts also reduce anaphylactic reactions.-' The poisonous frac- 

 tion obtained from proteins by Vaughan's method resembles anaphyla- 

 toxin, in that it causes a fall in blood pressure by paralyzing the vaso- 



19 See Barper, "The Simpler Natural Bases," London, 1914, p. 30. 

 20Heyde. Cent. f. Physiol., 1911 (2.5), 441; 1912 (26), 401. 



21 It lias been found that extracts of various orsjans are especially toxic to 

 animals, but that this toxicity may be suppressed by a minute dose, for a few 

 minutes later larsre doses can be injected with impunity, alihoui/h the l)lood of 

 the animal is highly toxic durinjj the immune period, which is of brief duration. 

 This condition is called slcpto-phi/la.ris. (See Lambert, Ancel and Bouin. Compt. 

 Rend. Acad. Sci., 1911 (154). 21.) Vauffhan reports the findinjjr in normal tissues 

 of substances resembling his "protein poisons," which perhaps come from autolysis 

 or tissue metabolism and may be related to the "primary toxicity" of organ ex- 

 tracts. 



2iaArch. exp. Path. u. Pharm., 191:? (73). 1. 



22 Bull. llvfT. Lab., U. S. P. H. and ]\f. TL Service, 1912 (80), 1. 



23 See Cent. f. Pathol., 1912 (23), 945. 



24 Jour. Exp. Med., 1910 (12), 151; Schultz, .Jour. Pharm. and Fxi). Tlier.. 

 1913 (3), 299. 



25 Kastle, Healy and Buckner, Jour. Infec. Dis., 1913 (12), 127. 



