Chemical Preparations and Drugs. 99 



led to the desired effect. It is a pity, however, that in such cases an anaphylaxy 

 also towards rabbit serum seems to develop within a rather short time, as Dunbar has 

 been able to observe. 



It is recommendable, therefore, to introduce infinitesimal quantities of Pollantin 

 into the eyes and nostrils already in the morning before getting up and to repeat the 

 process as soon as the slightest irritation is noticed in the course of the day. Needless 

 to say, it is advisable to combine the treatment with a rational prophylaxis, i. & to 

 keep the windows shut in the bed-room during the time when the grasses flower and 

 then to avoid any unnecessary stay in the open air, especially in dry weather, $c. As 

 a rule, by following these hints, patients may keep themselves free from hay-fever or, 

 at least, reduce the symptoms to a bearable degree. As per the experiences of Dunbar 

 and Albrecht, the due use of Pollantin in many cases not only reduced the sensibility 

 towards pollen, but cured the illness completely for good. 



It cannot be denied that the hay-fever patients find it often inconvenient to use 

 the various remedies and {hat, above all, the serum only affords protection for a 

 limited space of time. Therefore it is easily understood why attempts have been made 

 to arrive at a lasting immunity through active immunization, a question, the solution 

 of which seemed all the more promising as observation teaches that, in many persons, 

 the disposition for hay-fever decreases with age. \ 



The first experiments in this direction were carried out by Noon and Freeman, 

 who subcutaneously treated a rather considerable number of hay-fever patients, in 

 some cases for months, with increasing doses of an extract of the pollen of Phleum 

 pratense (Timothy grass). Objectively, it was possible to state regularly a considerable 

 decrease of the sensitiveness towards pollen, in some cases down to V 100 of the original 

 sensitivity. The clinical successes were generally rather satisfactory, as they were 

 complete in three cases, out of 18 treated by Freeman, whereas there was a more or 

 less pronounced improvement in 13 and only two gave no result at all. Dunbar gathered 

 similar experience in treating ten hay-fever patients. His clinical successes could 

 be called fairly satisfactory, generally speaking, especially when taking into con- 

 sideration the short period of treatment, the majority of the patients having had to 

 complain only occasionally of hay-fever symptoms, and then mostly of slight ones, 

 during the critical period. 



Lovell, Sormani and Wolff -Eisner likewise report on good results with active 

 immunization Of hay-fever patients. Besides, Ellern treated 13 patients with Wright's 

 pollen vaccine; however, he does not consider as a proof of the value of the process the 

 considerable improvement, declared by nearly all the patients, as 16 out of 20 other 

 patients, who had not been treated, stated to have noticed an improvement of their 

 complaint in the same summer. 



Finally, Gaehtgens gives a short report on experience gathered in 1913, 1914 and 

 1916, when continuing Dunbars investigations as to the value of active immunization. 

 The treatment was started from 8 to 12 weeks before the hay-fever season and con- 

 cluded towards the middle or end of June, unless exterior reasons caused a prema- 

 ture interruption. The injections were carried out subcutaneously, and at intervals of 

 from 5 to 6 days, with Kammann's new toxin preparation from rye pollen. The initial 

 dose was, as a rule, one fifth of what had been ascertained to be the limit of sensi- 

 tiveness by means of the ophthalmo-reaction, the quantity being doubled with. each 

 consecutive injection, unless a stronger reaction after the last injection made it advisable 

 to give the same dose once more. In this way, some patients were able to have 

 from 16 to 18 injections during one treatment. On an average, the initial dose was 



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