ANAPHYLAXIS 91 



certain dose of antibody, no matter whether the antibody 

 preexisted normally in the organism or whether it was formed 

 as a* result of special treatment. In the case of tr.ue antigens 

 these latter are coagulated or precipitated by the antibodies 

 of the organism. In the case of non-antigenic substances 

 such as iodoform, antipyrin, peptones, etc., it is the injected 

 substance which causes the coagulation of some substance 

 of the organism ; in either case the nature of the reaction will 

 be always the same, and although the last case does not 

 come within the limits of this study, it is not without 

 interest to note it in order to avoid confusions and possible 

 misunderstandings. 



The effects of these coagulating reactions will be differ- 

 ent according as the precipitate is formed exclusively in the 

 blood or both in the blood and in a certain number of cells 

 or even exclusively in the cells. If formed in the cells, the 

 effects will depend upon the importance of the intracellular 

 antibody in the life of the cell as well as the importance of 

 the role of the cell in the life of the organism. 



It would be superfluous to dwell here upon the symptoma- 

 tology of anaphylaxis in its different degrees or its different 

 localizations as this is found today in all the text-books of 

 pathology; but it is important to note that the total of 

 symptoms which characterizes anaphylactic shock includes: 



1. The action of the recently formed poison a word in 

 incorrect but current use (Richet, Vaughan, Wheeler, Fried- 

 berger and others). 



2. A chemical reaction (combination of antigen with 

 antibody) . 



3. A physical or absorption reaction (Mutermilch) . 



4. A mechanical action of the precipitate: embolism, 

 infarcts. 



5. The function of time or the duration of reaction 

 (Besredka) . 



6. The intervention of leukocytes in the transformation 

 and transportation of precipitates to the hemopoietic organs. 



7. Finally dominating the mechanism as well as the effects 

 of all these reactions the influence of the central nervous 

 system. 



