FIXATION OF COMPLEMENT 129 



sermann reaction, as we view the matter, is meant 

 the use of extract of syphiHtic liver as antigen, an anti- 

 sheep h^emolytic system, fresh guinea-pig serum as 

 complement, and inactivation of the patient's serum. 

 Various workers have sought to improve on the origi- 

 nal Wassermann technic by the use of other antigens, 

 as above mentioned; by using anti-ox, anti-pig, anti- 

 human, and other ha^molytic systems; by using fresh 

 instead of inactivated patient's serum, etc. All at- 

 tempts to simplify the technic have resulted in sacri- 

 ficing the delicacy of the test. The modification that 

 is most commonly employed in this country is that of 

 Noguchi, who, realizing the value of the laboratory re- 

 action for syphilis to the medical profession and the 

 training and experience necessary for the performance 

 of the test as laid down by Wassermann, attempted to 

 simplify the technic so as to make it accessible to the 

 general practitioner as a routine office procedure. He 

 proposed the use of an anti-human heemolytic system ; 

 thus making unnecessary the use of sheep's blood. He 

 prepared anti-human ha^molytic amboceptor by inject- 

 ing rabbits with human corpuscles. The antigen, am- 

 boceptor, and complement were put up in dry form by 

 saturating strips of absorbent paper with these re- 

 agents. In the performance of the test, it was only 

 necessary to add the antigen and complement papers 

 to diluted patient's serum, incubate, and then add the 



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