CYTOTOXIC REACTIONS 509 



graded doses of hemolytic serums may effect the production of anti- 

 hemolysins and aid in the treatment of certain anemias. 



(2) In diagnosis cytotoxic reactions have been employed by Freund 

 and Kaminer. These observers used the cytotoxins as a diagnostic 

 aid in cancer, but with indifferent success. Abderhalden's pregnancy 

 test possesses some practical value, and a similar technic has been suc- 

 cessfully employed in the diagnosis of cancer. The work of Abderhalden 

 has served to open up a comparatively new and intensely interesting 

 field, which, when fully developed, as the result of overcoming difficult 

 technical procedures, may offer additional means in the diagnosis of 

 various diseases. This test has been described elsewhere under the head 

 of Ferments (p. 252). 



CYTOTOXIC REACTIONS 



Cytolytic Cancer Diagnosis of Freund and Kaminer. 1 This reaction 

 is based upon the observation that while normal serum has the power 

 to dissolve cancer cells, the serum of cancerous persons lacks this prop- 

 erty, and has the power to inhibit the destruction of such cells by normal 

 serum. 



The same authors have also observed that when cancer serum is 

 mixed with an extract of cancer cells a precipitate forms. (See p. 314.) 

 They claim to have secured 88 per cent, of positive reactions in 113 

 cases examined, and believe that the reaction occurs early enough and 

 is sufficiently specific to render it of practical value. These observa- 

 tions, however, have not been sufficiently confirmed. 



An emulsion of cancer cells is prepared by grinding the undegenerated 

 portions of a tumor, freed as much as possible from fat and fibrous 

 tissue, in a mortar and adding about five volumes of 1 per cent, sodium 

 biphosphate. The suspension is filtered through several layers of gauze, 

 and after the cells have become precipitated, the supernatant fluid is 

 decanted. The residue of cells is washed with 0.6 per cent, sodium 

 chlorid and allowed to settle again, the supernatant fluid is decanted, 

 and the residue covered with 1 per cent, sodium fluorid. The last- 

 named fluid must first be neutralized against alizarin until only a trace 

 of the violet color remains. The emulsion will keep for several weeks 

 in an ice-chest. 



Serum. The patient's serum should be collected just a few hours 

 (not over twenty-four) before the test is to be made, and must be clear 

 and free from cellular elements. 



1 Biochem. Zeitschr., 1910, 26, 312; Wien. klin. Wochenschr., 1910, 23, 378, and 

 1221; ibid., 1911, 24, 1759. 



