FIRST STUDIES ON ANAPHYLAXIS » 



result a remarkable sensitiveness to horse serum. 

 In the course of his visit to America P. Ehrlich heard 

 this from Theobald Smith, and upon his return to 

 Frankfort he entrusted the study of the phenomenon 

 to his co-worker Otto. 



Rosenau and Anderson also took up this research 

 independently of Otto. In 1906, two accounts deal- 

 ing with the same subject made their appearance 

 almost simultaneously : that of Otto was published in 

 Leuthold's " Gedenkschrift,"^ that of Rosenau and 

 Anderson in the collection of monographs issued by 

 the Laboratory of Hygiene, Washington. ^ 



The publication of these two papers marked an 

 important advance in the experimental study of ana- 

 phylaxis. Fresh works saw the light and succeeded 

 one another with surprising rapidity. 



The phenomenon which Otto labelled with the 

 name of Theobald Smith exhibits the following 

 features: For purposes of testing the antisera a 

 guinea-pig receives a mixture of diphtheria toxin and 

 antitox:in ; if it is injected some time afterwards with 

 several cubic centimetres of normal horse serum 

 intraperitoneally or subcutaneously it may manifest 

 grave and even lethal symptoms. 



In Otto's experiments guinea-pigs were used in 

 which the first injection dated back from five to 

 twelve weeks. When they were injected subcu- 

 taneously, after this interval, with 6 c.c. of normal 

 horse serum they were observed to exhibit signs of 

 distress and pain; respiration was quickened, and 

 dyspnoea followed; the heart's action grew weak, and 

 the temperature fell to below the normal. Half an 

 hour later half of the guinea-pigs injected were dead; 

 the remainder gradually recovered. 



1 " Das Theobald Smithsche Phaenomen der Serum-Uber- 

 empfindlichkeit," Berlin, 1906, i., 153-172. 



2 " A Study of the Cause of Sudden Death following the In- 

 jection of Horse Serum," Bulletin No. 29, April, 1906. 



