58 MODERN BIOLOGIC THERAPEUSIS 



cases of sudden death in man, following serum 

 injections, may perhaps be due to an abnormal 

 development of the mucous membrane and 

 smooth muscle of the bronchi, as in asthmatics ; 

 and, that the smooth muscle, being hypersus- 

 ceptible, produces asphyxia by sudden con- 

 traction. 



Examples Anaphylaxis, then also called 

 hypersusceptibility is a condition of unusual 

 or exaggerated susceptibility of the individual 

 to certain foreign proteins. The condition may 

 be inherited or acquired, local or general, and 

 is specific in nature. A variety of anaphylac- 

 tic phenomena occur in man. Many idiosyn- 

 crasies with respect to foods strawberries, 

 cheese, fish, oysters, buckwheat, pork, eggs, 

 cows' milk, etc. are expressions of anaphy- 

 laxis. Striking examples of sensitiveness to 

 cereals, milk, and egg white (egg asthma) have 

 been described in babies and young children. 

 A clinical example of anaphylaxis is the hyper- 

 susceptibility of some individuals to pollen, re- 

 sulting in hay fever. Most of the cases, how- 

 ever, of horse serum anaphylaxis in man occur 

 in asthmatics or in persons who present a his- 

 tory of asthma or discomfort when about 



