122 APPLIED IMMUNOLOGY 



Performance of the Wassermann Test Proper 



The performance of the test on one unknown 

 serum with positive and negative controls will be de- 

 scribed, though of course any number of sera can be 

 tested simultaneously, using one set of controls. 



Six small test-tubes are arranged in two rows, 

 three in each row. Tubes 1 of the front and back rows 

 are for the serum to be tested ; Tubes 2 for the known 

 syphilitic serum; and Tubes 3 for the non-syphilitic 

 serum. The back row tubes serve as controls for those 

 of the front row. 



Into Tube 1 of the front row are placed: 0.1 c.c. 

 of patient's serum; one unit of complement (usually 

 0.5 c.c. of a 1-10 dilution previously determined by 

 titration) ; one dose of antigen (usually 0.2 c.c. of a 

 1-7 dilution). 



Into Tube 1 of the hack row are placed: 0.1 c.c. of 

 patient's serum ; one unit of complement ; no antigen. 



Tubes 2 and 3 are dealt with in the same way, ex- 

 cept that 0.1 c.c. of syphilitic serum is used in each of 

 Tubes 2, and 0.1 c.c. of non-syphilitic serum in each 

 of Tubes 3, instead of the unknown serum. The back 

 row tubes furnish controls to show that the serum 

 alone without antigen will not fix complement. The 

 total volume in each tube is now made up to 4 c.c. by 

 the addition of normal salt solution. The contents of 

 the tubes are thoroughly mixed by inversion. The 



