168 ANTI-ANAPHYLACTIC TREATMENT OF DISEASES 



Two facts are important: 1. The nearly complete dis- 

 appearance of the cutaneous lesions in no case resulted in 

 other morbid manifestations, such as asthma or acute 

 articular rheumatism, which are quite frequent when one 

 tries to "stifle" the evolution of cutaneous psoriasis by 

 ointments. 



We must therefore suppose that, in this case, the antigen 

 treatment acted not only on the apparent symptom, but on 

 the cause of the lesions as well. 



2. Different antigens are not equally active. In one case 

 the addition of an anaerobic bacillus, although in very small 

 quantity to the vaccine, had a curative action which was 

 evidently greater than that of all the other bacteria pre- 

 viously injected. 



We shall see further on what may be the nature of this 

 action. In this manner 25 cases of more or less serious 

 psoriasis were treated. The most interesting cases were 

 given us by Dr. Sabouraud whom I wish to thank here for his 

 kindly assistance. 



In all these cases, the antigen treatment gave far better 

 results from the point of view of the disappearance of the 

 lesions, of its harmlessness, and of the duration of cure, than 

 all the other treatments previously advocated. One case 

 only, treated for two months by an autogenous preparation 

 taken by mouth (the patient refusing to be injected), showed 

 no apparent improvement. 



Struck by the particular activity of the anaerobic bacillus 

 (Case 6), we wished to determine the importance of searching 

 in each particular case, for the most active antigen. Con- 

 vinced of the harmlessness of our preparations, we varied 

 their composition, and even tried non-bacterial antigens. 



Thus, of 25 cases of psoriasis, 12 were treated by auto- 

 genous bacterial preparations, 9 by heterogeneous prepara- 

 tions, 3 by intravenous injections of luargol. 1 The results 

 obtained in all cases were about identical, and we can add 

 that a psoriatic patient, bitten by a mad dog, was cured of 

 psoriasis by antirabies treatment. 



1 Dr. Dalimier has treated 5 cases of psoriasis with luargol. Three were 

 completely cured; in the other two luargol produced no results. 



