THERAPEUTIC MEASURES 117 



by vaccination as, for example, in treatment by homolo- 

 gous and by heterologous antigens are in certain cases 

 undoubted, we cannot place these two methods in the same 

 category. Statistics and clinical observations as an index of 

 successful treatment must be relied on with caution since 

 the degrees of disease vary so widely. We know that an 

 elevation of temperature of 3 or 4 can help the organism to 

 rid itself of certain bacteria (gonococci) by aiding the disso- 

 lution of certain precipitates and we know that the intro- 

 duction of any antigen whatever, in immunizing doses, pro- 

 duces certain abnormal reactions or stimulates those which 

 are already begun. (Action of pilocarpine in the production 

 of antitoxins (Madsen and Salomonsen) .) 



It is always the specific agents which exercise the most 

 obvious action and if the neutralization of antibody in excess 

 plays an important role in the cure of anaphylactic crises, 

 this role is only concomitant with other reactions of a nature 

 and mechanism little understood. We do not know whether 

 in skepto- or tachyphylaxis and in proteosotherapy all the 

 antigens are distinctly interchangeable or whether in anti- 

 anaphylactic vaccination, the vaccinating antigens are or 

 should always be as rigorously and exclusively specific as in 

 experiments with egg-white. 



Friedberger and others have said that after a pathogenic 

 injection of anaphylatoxin the serum of the treated animal 

 contains less "complement" than it contained before the 

 injection and that at the same time the blood becomes inco- 

 agulable as in tachyphylaxis. It is then very probable that 

 in certain cases, if not in all, that the neutralization of the 

 excess of complement may be equivalent to the neutraliza- 

 tion of the excess of antibody rendered inactive. 



A vast field is here open for experiments which will not 

 fail to influence the therapy of the future. By these re- 

 searches medicine an,d its methods will be sooner rendered 

 more exact and comprehensive. The problems to be solved 

 will always be infinitely simplified if it is borne in mind that 

 all the phenomena described under the names of skepto- 

 or tachyphylaxis, anaphylaxis, anaphylactic crisis, anti- 

 anaphylaxis, bacterio-, proteoso-, lympho-, and chemo- 



