THE PHILIPPINE 



Journal op Science 



B. Tropical Medicine 



VOL. XI JANUARY, 1916 No. 1 



AUG 211916 



yonal m^'t 



PRESERVATION OF HUMAN SERUM FOR WASSERMANN 



REACTION ^ 



By E. H. RuEDiGER 

 {From the Biological Laboratory, Bureau of Science, Manila, P. I.) 



Serologists, and laboratory workers in general, whose task 

 it is to perform the Wassermann reaction for syphilis, are fre- 

 quently annoyed with specimens that are utterly unfit for exam- 

 ination. The physician, many miles from the laboratory, collects 

 the specimen without the necessary aseptic precautions, puts it 

 into an unsterilized bottle, and sends it to the laboratory, where 

 it arrives a week or so later and is nothing but a mass of 

 putrid blood. Many methods for conducting the Wassermann 

 reaction have been proposed, but little or no attention has been 

 paid to the collection and the preparation of the specimens to 

 be examined. 



The investigation here to be reported was undertaken with the 

 view of finding a suitable chemical agent that would render 

 the serum sterile and keep it sterile without interfering with the 

 test to be conducted. Of chemical agents, phenol, lysol, tri- 

 cresol, chloroform, formalin, and glycerin were tried. Phenol, 

 lysol, tricresol, and chloroform were soon abandoned because 

 of the precipitate they produced when added to serum in quan- 

 tities large enough to destroy microorganisms. Formalin and 

 glycerin were suitable in this respect and were tested to some 

 extent. 



Preparation of the specimen. — About 10 cubic centimeters 

 of physiologic salt solution were put into each of a number of 

 suitable test tubes. The tubes were stoppered with cotton and 

 were sterilized in the autoclave. The sterilized tubes with the 

 salt solution were stored until needed. Salt solution was put 

 into the tubes to prevent the blood clot from adhering to the 

 wall of the tube, which frequently happens when blood is put 

 into a dry tube. Immediately before use the salt solution was 

 poured out of the test tube, and the blood was put in by letting 

 it flow down the inside of the tube to prevent frothing. The 



' Received for publication February 17, 1916. 



140085 



