198 APPLIED IMMUNOLOGY 



caps, glass ampoules, or in tablet form. Tuberculin 

 tablets, " B. E." and *' T. R.," are now obtainable in 

 six strengths, namely, 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 and 

 10 milligrammes. By dissolving a tablet in one c.c, 

 using a special graduated syringe (Fig. 17) , or in a ten 

 c.c. graduate containing ten c.c. of water or fractions 

 thereof, injecting never more than one c.c, the in- 

 oculations with proper sized dosage can be readily 

 executed. Tablets possess the advantage of being 

 more stable than solutions, although great precautions 

 as to sterility must be observed. 



Contrary to the researches of PfeifFer and Persch, 

 that pepsin, trypsin and enterokinase destroy the ac- 

 tivity of tuberculin, a number of investigators have 

 administered and recommended tuberculin by mouth, 

 stating that when thus administered it is just as effec- 

 tive as by subcutaneous injection, and carelessly given 

 is equally capable of harm and even fatal results. 

 Oral treatment has been carried out with 0.00001 to 

 0.001 milligramme of " T. R. " in 10 c.c. of normal 

 horse serum; in the presence of mixed infection, 

 staphylococcic bacterin has been combined with the 

 dose, best given on an empty stomach. Pharmaceu- 

 tists have prepared triturates of "B. E." and " T. R. " 

 for mouth administration, the tablets arranged serially 

 and containing from 0.000001 to 0.01 milligramme 

 each. 



