THE WASSERMAN REACTION. 341 



reaction was positive. The therapeutic test confirmed the diagnosis of syphilis 

 as the febrile condition disappeared promptly on the institution of mercurial 

 treatment. 



The third case gave a history of previous syphilis. One thumb, showing 

 rupial ulceration, had been removed on account of the resemblance of the lesion 

 to carcinoma, and the failure of the condition to improve on mercurial treatment. 

 This case gave a good Wasserman reaction in spite of previous treatment with 

 mercury and after an intravenous injection of Salvarsan, the rupial condition, 

 which was then general, disappeared promptly. 



Altogether the Board has been pleased with the practical results of 

 the Wasserman reaction and it is a matter of regret that we were unable 

 to make a wider use of it in our study of tropical diseases because of 

 difficulty in securing suitable material at this time. 



In conclusion, acknowledgment is made to the various officers of the 

 Division Hospital, particularly Captain Snyder and LieiTtenant Shields, 

 from whose wards the majority of our patients Avere secured, for kindly 

 cooperation and many courtesies extended. 



REFERENCES. 



(1) Hecht, Hugo. Zur Technik der Seroreaktion bei Syphilis. Ztschr. f: 



Immunitiitsforsch. Orig. (1910), 5, 575. 



(2) Wassermann, a. The diagnostic use of the complement fixation method. 



Brit. Med. Joum. (1910), 5, 1428. 



(3) Dean, H. R. An examination of the blood serum of idiots by the Was- 



sermann reaction. Lancet, London (1910), 179, 227. 



(4) Bayly, H. W. The practical value of the Wassermann reaction. Brit. Med. 



Joum. (1910), 5, 1430. 



( 5 ) MULZER, P. Zur Technik und praktischen Verwertung der Wassermannschen 



Reaktion. Ztschr. f. Immunitiitsforscli. Orig. (1910), 5, 247. 



(6) Harbison, L. W. The serum diagnosis of syphilis. Journ. Roy. Army 



Med. Corps. (1910), 15, 39. 



(7) Idem. Ibid. p. 50. 



(8) Wechselmann und Meier. Wassermannsche Reaktion in einem Falle von 



Lepra. Deutsche med. Wchnsch. (1908), 34, 1340. 



(9) EiTNER, Ernst. Zur Frage der Anwendung der Komplement-bindungsreak- 



tion auf Lepra. Wien. klin. Wchnsch. (1908), 21, 729. 



(10) Slatineanu and Danielopolu. Sur la Presence d'Antieorps specifiques 



dans le Serum des Malades atteints de Lgpra. Compt. rend. Soc. biol. 

 (1908), 65, 309. 



(11) Idem. Reaction de Fixation avec le S6rum et le Liquide Cephalo-Rachidien 



des Malades atteints de Lepra, en presence de l'Antig6ne syphilitique. 

 Ibid., 347. 



(12) Baermann and Wetter. Die Wassermann-Neisser-Brucksche Reaktion in 



den Tropen. Miinchener med. Wchnsch. (1910), 57, 2131. 



