580 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVIII, No. 6 
Weinberg and Julien ( 6 , 7 , 8) have investigated the toxic action of the body- 
cavity fluid of the horse ascarid upon horses. The instillation of the fluid into 
the conjunctival sac was followed by a positive reaction in about two-thirds of 
256 horses that were tested. This reaction which appears within a few minutes 
is characterized by edema of the eyelids, congestion of the conjunctiva, and 
laerimation, occasionally accompanied by dyspnea, profuse sweating and diarrhea. 
Weinberg and Julien have concluded ( 8 ) that the toxicity of the fluid to sensitive 
horses is due to a number of active substances, inasmuch as they found the 
toxin to be thermostable, surviving exposure to a temperature of 120° C. for 20 
minutes, filterable through a Chamberland filter, partially soluble in alcohol and 
in ether, and to contain volatile toxic constituents. The results that we have 
obtained in our investigations on human subjects with Ascaris lumbricoides are 
not entirely in accord with the conclusions expressed by Weinberg and Julien 
from the results of experiments with Ascaris equorum on horses. This discrepancy 
may be due not only to differences in the parasites and the experimental animals 
but also to the fact that Weinberg and Julien used body-cavity fluid of the worms 
in their tests while in our attempts to isolate an active substance we have been 
dealing with aqueous extracts of the worms and fractions of these extracts. 
In our investigations swine ascarids (100 gm. in one lot and 1,774 gm. in 
another) after preliminary washing were ground up in a meat chopper, mixed 
with normal salt solution or 4 per cent ammonium sulphate solution and strained. 
The fluid portion was half saturated with ammonium sulphate and filtered. From 
the residue of this filtration a globulin fraction was obtained. The filtrate was 
precipitated by saturating with ammonium sulphate and after standing for 24 
hours the albumens were collected by filtration. The filtrate was designated the 
protein-free filtrate for convenience although it still contained small amounts of 
proteins not precipitable by ammonium sulphate. It did not give the biuret 
reaction but gave a slight coagulum on heating. Three principal fractions were 
thus obtained from the original aqueous extract, a globulin fraction, an albumen 
fraction, and a so-called protein-free fraction. From the two latter various 
subsidiary fractions were prepared as shown in the list given below. Details of 
the chemical processes are reserved for a later report. The various fractions were 
tested on Ascaris-sensitive persons by means of the cutaneous reaction (scratch 
method). The results of these tests for each fraction are indicated by a plus or 
minus sign. 
Fractions Nos. 1 to 4 were tested on three sensitive subjects, Nos. 5 to 9 on 
two, and Nos. 10 to 16 on one. In the test of fraction No. 8 the result was nega¬ 
tive in the case of one subject and positive in the case of the other. The test 
was repeated in both cases with the same result, negative in one and positive in 
the other. 
1. Globulin fraction........ — 
2. Albumen fraction........... -b 
3. Protein-free filtrate (so-called)......... + 
4. Protein-free filtrate heated just to boiling......... -b 
5. Protein-free filtrate separated into approximately equal parts by distillation. Distillate. — 
6. Same. Residue............ — 
7. Protein-free filtrate after air had been drawn through it for 55 hours... -b 
8. Protein-free filtrate treated with potassium permanganate----— (+) 
9. Precipitate from acidified protein-free filtrate by Mayer’s solution___ -b 
10. Filtrate from acidified protein-free filtrate after treatment with Lloyd’s reagent.. — 
11. Material recovered in weak alkali from Lloyd’s reagent after action on acidified protein-free 
filtrate........... -b 
12. Filtrate from acidified albumen fraction after treatment with Lloyd’s reagent-- — 
13. Material recovered in weak alkali from Lloyd’s reagent after action on acidified albumen fraction. — 
14. Filtrate from albumen fraction after treatment with 50 per cent alcohol... -b 
15. Filtrate from albumen fraction heated 17 minutes in boiling water.... -b 
16. Albumen fraction digested 36 hours with pepsin...... — 
