70 



Scientific Proceedings (52). 



injection of a somewhat larger dose (1 cc. of a one in fifty thou- 

 sand) caused a considerable swelling and pain, and small blisters 

 resembling hives developed at the point of injection. This was 

 followed by dizziness and a sense of general discomfort and a slight 

 attack of hay fever was precipitated. 



Specific precipitin and complement deviation reactions using 

 pollen extracts as antigens were exhibited by certain cases before 

 the commencement of the hay fever season. These reactions dis- 

 appeared under treatment (see following paper) reappearing a 

 few weeks later. Since the reactions in question, while quite 

 definite, were not exhibited by all the cases, it is proposed to make 

 them the subject of further investigation. The leukocyte count 

 and body temperature were frequently above the normal in the 

 course of an acute attack of hay fever. All attempts to induce 

 hay fever symptoms in normal individuals by introducing into 

 their eyes pollen extracts mixed with the serum or nasal secretions 

 of sensitized individuals have failed. It may be concluded from 

 these results that specific enzymes capable of splitting the pollen 

 protein and liberating a toxic factor, or immune bodies capable of 

 combining with the specific body present in the pollen extract to 

 form a toxic combination are either not present or not demon- 

 strable by this method in the blood or secretions of hay fever 

 cases. Preliminary experiments which require confirmation would 

 indicate rather that the serum of highly immunized hay fever 

 cases when mixed with pollen extract may exert a slightly neutral- 

 izing effect on the latter, protecting the eyes of sensitive indi- 

 viduals to a certain extent from pollen toxin. 



49 (745) 



A preliminary communication on the treatment of autumnal hay 

 fever by vaccination with an aqueous extract of the pollen 

 of ragweed. 



By George H. A. Clowes. 



[From the Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, State Institute for 

 the Study of Malignant Disease, Buffalo, N. Y.] 



Dunbar was the first to attempt active immunization against 

 hay fever by vaccination with aqueous pollen extract. He used 



