FIXATION OF COMPLEMENT 131 



syphilis by utilizing the natural complement and anti- 

 sheep hiemolysin present in the patient's serum in- 

 stead of adding guinea-pig serum and prepared 

 heemolytic amboceptor. Gradwohl {Jour, Amer, 

 Med. Assn., July 18, 1914) regards this test as of 

 great value as a check upon the Wassermann reaction. 

 In a series of one thousand cases he found the Hecht- 

 Weinberg was positive 15 per cent, more often than 

 the Wassermann. 



Clinical Application of the Wassermann Reaction 



In a great many cases, the correct interpretation of 

 the examination of the patient's serum in the labora- 

 tory can only be given when the clinical aspect of the 

 case is considered. The clinician therefore should be 

 familiar w^ith the meaning of a given result from the 

 laboratory so that he can intelligently apply it to the 

 case in question. For instance, many practitioners are 

 disappointed upon the receipt of a negative Wasser- 

 mann report in a case clinically diagnosed as syphilis, 

 because the blood has been collected from the patient 

 when under the influence of specific treatment. A 

 familiarity w4th the following facts will be of value 

 in interpreting the results of the reaction. 



The question as to whether the Wassermann reac- 

 tion is specific for syphilitic infection alone or whether 

 it is found in other diseases, has been the occasion for 



