390 VENOM HEMOLYSIS 



sibility more apt to occur in diseases of the central nervous system than 

 in any physiologic or other pathologic condition. 



VENOM HEMOLYSIS IN TUBERCULOSIS 



Calmette found that the blood of tuberculous patients may activate 

 cobra hemolysin in very small doses, and upon this observation he 

 devised a test that yielded about 65 per cent, of positive reactions in 

 tuberculosis. Positive reactions have, however, been found in other 

 diseases, and the practical value of the test has not been established. 



VENOM HEMOLYSIS IN CANCER 



Although the red blood-corpuscles of the horse may be hemolyzed by 

 venom without the aid of serum, Kraus, Graff and Ranzi lt2 found that 

 about 70 per cent, of cancer serums considerably hastened and aided 

 the hemolytic process. 



A 1 : 5000 dilution of venom is used. In two series of four tubes 

 each place respectively 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5 c.c. of the patient's serum 

 (heated) ; to the first series add 0.3 c.c. of the venom solution, and to the 

 second series 0.15 c.c. of the same. To each of the tubes in the series 

 add 5 drops of a 10 per cent, suspension of washed horse corpuscles; 

 shake thoroughly and incubate at 37 C. Inspect the tubes at the 

 end of fifteen and thirty minutes, and then after one, two, and three 

 hours. 



Positive reactions have also been found in pregnancy after the fourth 

 month, in icterus, advanced tuberculosis, and other diseases. 



1 Wien. klin. Wochenschr., 1911, No. 28. 



2 Munch, med. Wochenschr., 1912, No. 59, 574. 



