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A short study of histaminase activity during pregnancy
SELECTED ABSTRACTS
877
Pregnancy, Physiology Koloszynski, F. W.: A Short Study of Histaminase Activity During Pregnancy, J. 8bs1:. & Gynaec. Brit. Emp. 52: 426, 1945. A method for the quantitative estimation of serum histaminase was worked out from the Kapeller-Adler test based on a qualitative method in which H,O, produced by the action o£ histaminase on histamine decolorizes the dye indigo-disulphonate. Three modifications of the Kapeller-Adler method were employed: air was used instead of oxygen; the time of incubation was 72 hours; the degree of decolorization was measured by an Evelyn photoelectric colorimeter and expressed in mg. of dye per 1 ml. of serum. It was found that two important factors influenced the decolorization of the dye in this test: (1) nonspecific activity associated with incubation; (2) specific histaminase activity associated with incubation and the presence of histamine in the serum-dye mixture. The test was employed on the sera of 12 nonpregnant women, 40 pregnant women, and nine with pre-eclampsia. The nonspecific activity was the same in all three groups. No evidence of specific histaminase activity was found in the sera of the nonpregnant women, There was definite evidence of histaminase activity in the sera of pregnant women; this activity was low in the first 100 days of pregnancy and high after that time. The sera of patients with pre-eclampsia also Bhowed histaminase activity; no evidence of the inhibition of either nonspecific activity or histaminase activity was found in theso cases. Further investigations are needed to determine the function of histaminase in pregnancy; the author suggests that this enzyme may be an important link in the metabHARVEY B. MATTHEWS. olism of histidine during pregnancy.
Necrology
T
HOlVIAS WATTS EDEJ'\, M.D., f'.R.C.P .. F.R.C.U.i }., o( London, ominem obstetrician, gynecologist, teacher, editor, and author, Honorary Fellow of the American Gynecological Society, died Sept. 22, 1946, at the age of 83 years. Well known as editor of the J oumal of Obstetrics cmd Gynaecology of the British Empire, prominently identified with the development of the Chelsea Hospital for Women to an outstanding institution, playing a great part in placing abdominopelvic surgery on a firm foundation, a major in the R.A.llii.C. in the first World War, chairman of the committee which developed the scheme for a national midwifery service, and author with Lockyer of a widely used textbook, he was widely recognized as an outstanding member of his specialist group. Upon delivering an address before the American Gynecological Society at its annual meeting in 1920, he was made an honorar~· member of this body.
877
Pregnancy, Physiology Koloszynski, F. W.: A Short Study of Histaminase Activity During Pregnancy, J. 8bs1:. & Gynaec. Brit. Emp. 52: 426, 1945. A method for the quantitative estimation of serum histaminase was worked out from the Kapeller-Adler test based on a qualitative method in which H,O, produced by the action o£ histaminase on histamine decolorizes the dye indigo-disulphonate. Three modifications of the Kapeller-Adler method were employed: air was used instead of oxygen; the time of incubation was 72 hours; the degree of decolorization was measured by an Evelyn photoelectric colorimeter and expressed in mg. of dye per 1 ml. of serum. It was found that two important factors influenced the decolorization of the dye in this test: (1) nonspecific activity associated with incubation; (2) specific histaminase activity associated with incubation and the presence of histamine in the serum-dye mixture. The test was employed on the sera of 12 nonpregnant women, 40 pregnant women, and nine with pre-eclampsia. The nonspecific activity was the same in all three groups. No evidence of specific histaminase activity was found in the sera of the nonpregnant women, There was definite evidence of histaminase activity in the sera of pregnant women; this activity was low in the first 100 days of pregnancy and high after that time. The sera of patients with pre-eclampsia also Bhowed histaminase activity; no evidence of the inhibition of either nonspecific activity or histaminase activity was found in theso cases. Further investigations are needed to determine the function of histaminase in pregnancy; the author suggests that this enzyme may be an important link in the metabHARVEY B. MATTHEWS. olism of histidine during pregnancy.
Necrology
T
HOlVIAS WATTS EDEJ'\, M.D., f'.R.C.P .. F.R.C.U.i }., o( London, ominem obstetrician, gynecologist, teacher, editor, and author, Honorary Fellow of the American Gynecological Society, died Sept. 22, 1946, at the age of 83 years. Well known as editor of the J oumal of Obstetrics cmd Gynaecology of the British Empire, prominently identified with the development of the Chelsea Hospital for Women to an outstanding institution, playing a great part in placing abdominopelvic surgery on a firm foundation, a major in the R.A.llii.C. in the first World War, chairman of the committee which developed the scheme for a national midwifery service, and author with Lockyer of a widely used textbook, he was widely recognized as an outstanding member of his specialist group. Upon delivering an address before the American Gynecological Society at its annual meeting in 1920, he was made an honorar~· member of this body.