498 



Scientific Proceedings (132) 



degeneration of the cervical sympathetic nerves did not prevent 

 the edema. 



Localization of the edema in the head and neck is not con- 

 nected with an increased concentration of paraphenylenediamin 

 in these regions, since quantitative estimations of the para- 

 phenylenediamin in the saliva and edematous fluid showed the 

 concentration to be less or no greater than that in the blood 

 plasma. 



The results with various concentrations of paraphenylenedia- 

 min (base and acid salt) on swelling of gelatin in aqueous solu- 

 tions and of muscle in serum in vitro were negative indicating 

 that the edema is not the result of change in the physical state 

 of the tissue colloids by the paraphenylenediamin directly. 



The edematous fluids in two rabbits gave Ph values of 6.86 

 and 6.95, while those of the blood were 7.1 and 7.2 respectively. 

 In another animal, which received nicotin, the P H of the edema- 

 tous fluid was the same as that of the blood (i. e., 7.3). 



Paraphenylenediamin hydrochlorid oxidized by lead peroxide 

 failed to produce edema. Hence, it appears that the oxidation 

 products (quinondiimin, etc.) are not concerned in the edema. 



The study is being continued. 



244 (2204) 



Increased number and clumping of thrombocytes (platelets) in 

 pigeons produced by agents causing anaphylactoid reactions. 



By F. DE EDS and H. A. SOMERFIELD (by invitation). 



[From the Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, 

 Stanford University, San Francisco.] 



A variety of agents, previously reported by Hanzlik and 

 Karsner cause anaphylactoid reactions when injected intra- 

 venously. With many of these emboli and thrombi composed 

 of red blood corpuscles, fibrin and platelets are demonstrable in 

 the lungs, and hemagglutination occurs in vitro. These changes 

 together with the alterations in chemical composition of the 

 blood recently demonstrated in this laboratory, are regarded as 

 objective evidences of disturbances in important physical and 

 chemical equilibria in the fluids and tissues of the organism, and 

 as being of fundamental importance in the explanation of reac- 

 tions from a variety of agents. The present report is a sum- 



