Dec. 8,1923 
Dourine 
499 
ating antibody content or are a result of a more sensitive antigen and 
closer hemolytic system on these test dates is problematical. The 
average of these titrations shows this serum to be only a mildly positive 
one. Very frequently we have encountered serums from cases of natural 
infection which gave a 4 + reaction with 0.005 cc * or less* The titrations 
of the serum from 1919 show a decrease in antibodies, so that a 44- 
reaction is not obtained even in quantities of 0.2 cc. 
EXAMINATION OF SPINAL FLUID 
Previous to the post-mortem examination spinal fluid was drawn from 
the axis-atlas articulation by means of a sterile trocar into sterile tubes. 
A good specimen of fluid was obtained free of any red cells or other 
contamination. It was immediately taken to the laboratory, where it 
was subjected to the colloidal gold test, the globulin test, and a cell 
count, as well as a complement-fixation test for dourine. 
THE COLLOIDAL GOLD TEST 
The extensive application of the colloidal gold test, since its inception 
by Lange 3 in 1912, to cerebrospinal fluids of patients affected with 
syphilis in which the central nervous system was involved has estab¬ 
lished for it a place as one of the tests indicated in the routine diagnostic 
work on this disease. 
A preliminary report on the application of the colloidal gold test to 
spinal fluids of horses affected with dourine was made by one of the 
writers as a co-author with Reynolds. 4 In that work spinal fluids from 
horses whose serums gave positive reactions to the complement-fixation 
test for dourine were subjected to the colloidal gold test. The spinal 
fluids were obtained from the horses immediately subsequent to their 
deliberate destruction, which was done in the course of the campaign for 
the control and eradication of dourine. As was expected, various reac¬ 
tions were obtained with these fluids, as the animals destroyed were in 
various stages of the disease. However, a number of reactions were 
obtained which bore considerable similarity, but no interpretation could 
be placed on them, as the spinal cords were not available for histopatho- 
logical study. 
The test involves the precipitation of colloidal gold by spinal fluid 
altered as a result of disease. The technic of the test is comparatively 
simple. The greatest difficulty is encountered in the preparation of a 
satisfactory solution of colloidal gold. The method of Miller, Brush, 
Hammers, and Felton, etc., 5 was used in the preparation of the gold 
solution, and as a rule a satisfactory solution was prepared. 
The technic of the test consists in setting up a rack with 11 tubes, 
in the first of which is placed 1.8 cc. of a 0.4 per cent sodium chlorid solu¬ 
tion and in the rem ainin g 10 tubes 1 cc. of the same solution. In the first 
tube is placed 0.2 cc. of the spinal fiuid, making a dilution of 1 to 10. After 
thoroughly mixing, 1.0 cc. from this tube is placed in the second tube, 
3 IyANGB, Carl. UEBER Die AUSPLOCKUNG VON GOLD SOL DURCH LIQUOR CEREBRO SPINALIS. In Berlin 
Klin. Wchnschr., Jahrg. 49. p. 897-901, 5 fig. 1912. 
4 Reynolds, Francois H. K., and Schoenino, Harry W. the precipitation op colloidal gold in 
the cerebrospinal pluid op horses with dourine. In Jour. Infect. Diseases, v. 31, p. 59-63. 1922. 
* Miller, Sydney R., and others, a purther study op the diagnostic value op the colloidal gold 
REACTION, TOGETHER WITH A METHOD POR THE PREPARATION OP THE REAGENT. In Bill. Johns Hopkins 
Hosp., v. 26, p. 391-407, 3 charts, pi. 30-31. 1915. References, p. 407. 
