Skin Reaction in Carcinoma. 



91 



fluenced by heat and are practically destroyed at about 100° C. 

 The difference probably depends upon coagulation of the protein 

 and consequent failure of absorption. 



Dried sensitive guinea-pig blood serum, containing anaphylac- 

 tin, withstands at least 100° C. for ten minutes. 



44 (382) 



A skin reaction in carcinoma from the subcutaneous injection 

 of human red blood cells. 



By CHARLES A. ELSBERG. 



l^From the Mount Sinai Hospital.'\ 



Numerous investigators have shown that if the blood serum ot 

 a patient suffering from carcinoma be mixed with normal human 

 red blood cells hemolysis occurs. The reaction takes place in 

 from 50 per cent, to 80 per cent, of patients with malignant disease. 

 It occurs with considerable frequency in tuberculosis, and more 

 rarely in other diseases. 



It occurred to the writer, that, by the injection of red blood cells 

 under the skin of the carcinoma patient, it might be possible to 

 produce a local reaction at the site of the injection. Logically, a 

 local hemolysis should take place. Theoretically, such a reaction 

 might prove to be a delicate one ; it might give more positive and 

 definite results than the test tube method. In the technique which 

 is used for the test-tube method the presence and degree of hemo- 

 lysis is indicated by the amount of laking of the red cells — that 

 is, by the amount of hemoglobin which has been set free. The tube 

 reaction gives no evidence of other substances than the hemoglo- 

 bin which have been hberated. A small amount of hemolysin in 

 the serum which is being tested might not be capable of detection. 

 If normal human blood cells are injected under the skin of a 

 patient whose serum is hemolytic, fresh quantities of hemolysin 

 would be continually carried to the cells, and therefore even a 

 small amount of hemolysin might cause hemolysis of the cells. 

 Every organic substance which was set free would enter the tissues 

 and might there have its effect. 



Accordingly, after some experimentation, normal blood was in- 



