ANAPHYLAXIS 49 



the latter is accompanied by the setting free or the 

 absorption of energy, calorific or otherwise, we have 

 presented to us a series of phenomena always the 

 same, and which constitute the anaphylactic shock. 

 What governs anaphylaxis and anti-anaphylaxis is 

 neither the toxin nor antitoxin, but, on the one hand, 

 the rate at which the sensibiligen and the sensibilisin 

 come into contact ; and, on the other, the place where 

 they meet, which is probably the nervous system." 



In serum treatment our object must be to prevent 

 anaphylaxis in patients we consider may be susceptible 

 to this condition. To do this we must establish a 

 condition of anti-anaphylaxis. Several methods of 

 producing anti-anaphylaxis have been employed, such 

 as by anaesthetising the animal preparatory to injec- 

 tion of serum ; by heating the serum to 60° C. on 

 three or four successive days; and by injecting the 

 patient with small graduated doses of serum. This 

 last method is one now universally employed. When 

 using this method we have to remember that the time 

 taken for anti-anaphylaxis to be established depends 

 upon the route by which the antigen enters the animal 

 body. Thus, by the subcutaneous route it takes from 

 three to six hours ; by the intraperitoneal route one 

 to two hours ; and by the intravenous method ten to 

 fifteen minutes. It is obvious, therefore, that the 

 intravenous method of anti-anaphylactic vaccination 

 is one to be desired. Let us remember that anti- 

 anaphylaxis is nothing more than the desensitisation 

 of the sensitised animaL 



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