58 APPLIED IMMUNOLOGY 



the deficiency of the immune-body content of that 

 particular serum, or in other words, to an improper or 

 incomplete immunization of the animal utilized for the 

 production of the antiserum. 



Antistreptococcic Serum, — Various antistrepto- 

 coccic sera have been employed for some time with 

 more or less success. They are nearly all made by in- 

 jecting horses with increasing doses of killed strepto- 

 cocci recovered from different lesions, thus securing 

 polyvalent antisera. Standardization of the strength 

 of these sera is difficult, the initial dose being more or 

 less empirical, and succeeding doses being guided by 

 clinical effects observed. 



The serum is indicated in all streptococcic infec- 

 tions, particularly in septicaemia, where rapid effects 

 are desirable, and where bacterial vaccines are not suit- 

 able. The dose varies from 10 to 100 c.c, to be 

 repeated in accordance with the symptomatic 

 indications. 



Antipneumococcic Serum, — Passive immunization 

 in pneumococcus infections has been attempted by 

 means of antibacterial serum obtained from horses 

 previously injected with different strains of pneumo- 

 cocci. This serum depends for its action chiefly upon 

 an increased production of bactericidal and opsonizing 

 substances. In pneumonia the results of its use by 

 most observers have been disappointing, the dose of 



