188 



Scientific Proceedings (54). 



pression of the cells of the mucous membranes; (3) disturbance of 

 the body heat regulating mechanism. It is also possible that all 

 three factors are involved. 



In order to determine whether the first possibility is a factor, 

 dogs were immunized at varying periods before and after para- 

 thyroidectomy, and the influence of the tetany condition on the 

 immunity reaction noted. The particular antibody studied was 

 the lysin developed by the injection of goat erythrocytes into dogs. 

 The immunizing dose consisted of a single intravenous injection of 

 I c.c. of a 10 per cent, suspension of goat corpuscles per kilo body 

 weight of dog. 



The results so far obtained show that the active ifnmunity is 

 decreased by the condition of parathyroid tetany. None of our dogs 

 developed lysin to goat corpuscles to the degree observed in the 

 series of normal dogs reported by Hektoen and Carlson, and by 

 Luckhardt and Becht. 1 The greatest concentration of the specific 

 lysin in our tetany dogs was represented by a serum dilution of 

 1-8,000; the lowest concentration by a serum dilution of 1-400. 

 Two typical experiments may be cited : 



Dog V. 



Nov. 



1. 



No lysis in 1-50. 



Complete thyroidectomy. 





Nov. 



2. 



No lysis in 1-50. 



13 c.c. goat corp. susp. inj. 





Nov. 



3. 



No lysis in 1-50. 



No tetany. 





Nov. 



4- 



No lysis in 1-50. 



Strong tremors. 





Nov. 



5- 



Lysis in 1-50. 



No tetany. 





Nov. 



6. 



Lysis in 1-400. 



Tetany. 





Nov. 



7- 



Lysis in 1-1,600. 



Violent tetany. 





Nov. 



8. 



Lysis in 1-2,000. 



Strong tetany. 





Nov. 



9- 



Lysis in 1-2,000. 



Tetany and depression. 





Nov. 



10. 



Lysis in 1-2,000. 



Tremors and depression (died). 



Dog VI. 



Nov. 



2. 



No lysis in 1-50. 



11 c.c. goat corp. susp. inj. 





Nov. 



3- 



No lysis in 1-50. 







Nov. 



4- 



No lysis in 1-50. 



Complete thyroidectomy. 





Nov. 



5- 



Lysis in 1-50. 



Dog seems normal. 





Nov. 



6. 



Lysis in 1-400. 



Tremors. 





Nov. 



7. 



Lysis in 1-1,000. 



Mild tetany. 





Nov. 



8. 



Lysis in 1-1,600. 



Violent tetany. 





Nov. 



9- 



Lysis in 1-2,000. 



Violent tetany, depression. 





Nov. 



10. 



Lysis in 1-4,000. 



Tetany and depression. 





Nov. 



11. 



Lysis in 1-4,000. 



Tremors and depression (died). 



'Hektoen and Carlson, Jour, of Inf. Dis., 1910, VII, p. 319; Luckhardt and 

 Becht, Am. Jour, of Physiol., 191 1, XXVIII, p. 257. 



