Typing Strains of Bacillus botulinus. 



21 



the amount absorbed bears to that unabsorbed. Thirdly, it 

 follows from the second conclusion that the actual amount of 

 complement which is used in the reaction is not important within 

 limits, except as it affects the slope of the plotted logarithmic 

 curve. This gives a method susceptible of considerable accuracy 

 for the comparison of any unknown syphilitic serum or spinal 

 fluid with a standard syphilitic serum which has previously 1 

 been shown to be indefinitely preservable by appropriate technic. 



10 (1757) 



Experiment in new method of therapy of paralysis agitans. 



By M. H. WEINBERG and T. SCHUBB. 



[Pittsburgh, Pa.] 



Starting out from the premise that paralysis agitans is due to 

 hyperparathyroidemia, as advocated by several observers, we 

 proceeded to prepare a parathyroidectin substance for the treat- 

 ment of this condition. Experiments were conducted on rabbits 

 and on goats. The two external parathyroid glands of the goat 

 were removed, and after forty days the blood of the goat was 

 withdrawn and glycerinized. The administration of this blood to 

 Parkinsonian patients seems to show promising results. Further 

 study of this method of therapy is now under way. 



11 (1758) 



Typing of different strains of Bacillus botulinus 

 by immunologic methods. 



By J. BRONFENBRENNER, M. J. SCHLESINGER and S. C. CALAZANS. 



[From the Department of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, Harvard 

 Medical School, Boston, Mass.] 



A number of strains of Bacillus botulinus isolated both abroad 

 and in this country represent a fairly uniform group in so far as 

 their cultural characteristics and the symptoms produced by their 

 toxin are concerned. However, in respect to neutralization of 

 toxin by antitoxin there exist two sharply distinct groups of this 

 organism, thus suggesting that in fact we are dealing with two 

 distinct antigens. 



1 loc. cit. 



