CHAPTER VII 



THEORIES RELATING TO ANAPHYLAXIS 



Theory of Charles Richet — Theory of Friedberger — Its exten- 

 sion to passive anaphylaxis by Doerr and Russ — Bacterial 

 anaphylotoxins — A critical review of the interpretation 

 advanced by Friedberger and his school — Theory of Kraus 

 and Biedl — Theory of Auer and of Lewis — Theory of M. 

 Nicolle — Theory of Vaughan — Physical theory of Doerr — 

 The author's theory. 



If the material conditions necessary to bring about 

 the appearance of the anaphylactic state are at the 

 present day known in all their details, the mechanism 

 which governs the production of this condition, and, 

 above all, the production of shock, is far from being 

 elucidated. In default of hard-and-fast explanations, 

 we are compelled to fall back upon theories. It is 

 only fair to add, however, that the domain of theory 

 becomes more and more narrowed each day, and 

 that, taken altogether, the edifice of anaphylaxis 

 reposes upon facts with a certainty and accuracy 

 such as are rarely met with in biology. 



We already know that after a first sensitising or 

 preparatory injection there is seen to appear in the 

 blood of an animal a specific anaphylactic antibody 

 {sensibilisin or toxogenin). 



There is another fact no less firmly established ; the 

 animal endowed with this antibody appears to be 

 attacked with the symptoms with which we are now 

 familiar as soon as the injection of antigen is renewed. 

 Such are the facts. But the point at which the 

 play of imagination needs to intervene is when we 



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