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Considerations underlying the experimental production of uveitis
REVIEWS
AND
529
ABSTRACTS
cases where the asthmatic attacks were induced by febrile infections, the infections were those developing in the respiratory t!ract : seasonal rhinotracheal bronchitis, pulmonary congestions, even bronchial pneumonia. Case reports are given. The conclusion is reached that it is by a purely local congestive action that fever may be asthmatogenic. In cases where the asthmatic attacks were reliev,ed by a heightened temperature, it was generally found that the best results were obtained when the febrile state was accompanied by an intense polynuclear leucocytosis and especially by suppuration. Case reports are given. The duration of the relief from asthmatic attacks obtained, depended upon the height, intensity, and prolongation of t.he febrile state as well as upon the gravity of the asthma. The average appeared to be a remission of from eight to twenty days after a light infection, from three to five weeks after more severe infections, and from six to eight weeks after infections accompanied by suppuration. The persistence of even a slight and nonfebrile suppuration was found sufficient to prevent the reappearance of asthma for sev’eral months. The mechanism of this suspensive action has been explained on the basis of a disturbance of the vago-sympathetic centers. In the opinion of the authors this is insufficient explanation. Various other factors should be considered such as change in regime of the patient, acidification of the blood, leucocytic modifications, etc. It has been found that artificially provoked hyperthermias may have the same effect upon asthmatic attacks as spontaneous hyperthermias. There are various methods of such induction of hyperthermia, such as ultra-violet rays, autogenous vaccine, and intravenous injections. The efficacy of these methods lies in the fact that after a remission, the recurring asthmatic attacks are usually less severe and spaced at longer intervals, thus rendering them more amenable to therapy.
Considerations Brown,
Underlying
the Experimental
9. L. : ,4m. J. Ophth.
Production
of Uveitis.
15: 19, 1932.
Various experimental methods to produce uveitis are reviewed. In this work, eyes of rabbits were sensitized by the intraocular administration of bacterial suspensions, stock toxin, eggwhite, foreign erythrocytes and other antigenic substances. The other eye served as a control. These injections caused immediate inflammatory reactions which soon subsided. Ten days later a reinjection of the specific antigen was made intravenously. Within a few hours, the eye previously injected showed circumcorneal injection, contraction of the pupil, vitreous opacities, engorgement of the ciliary bodies, leucocytic infiltrations, and other intlammatory lesions. The uveal tract was particularly affected. Besides great hyperemia of the anterior uvea, there was massive cellular infiltration. The uninjected eye was not involved. It appears! therefore, that uveitis may be a localized allergic manifestation.
AND
529
ABSTRACTS
cases where the asthmatic attacks were induced by febrile infections, the infections were those developing in the respiratory t!ract : seasonal rhinotracheal bronchitis, pulmonary congestions, even bronchial pneumonia. Case reports are given. The conclusion is reached that it is by a purely local congestive action that fever may be asthmatogenic. In cases where the asthmatic attacks were reliev,ed by a heightened temperature, it was generally found that the best results were obtained when the febrile state was accompanied by an intense polynuclear leucocytosis and especially by suppuration. Case reports are given. The duration of the relief from asthmatic attacks obtained, depended upon the height, intensity, and prolongation of t.he febrile state as well as upon the gravity of the asthma. The average appeared to be a remission of from eight to twenty days after a light infection, from three to five weeks after more severe infections, and from six to eight weeks after infections accompanied by suppuration. The persistence of even a slight and nonfebrile suppuration was found sufficient to prevent the reappearance of asthma for sev’eral months. The mechanism of this suspensive action has been explained on the basis of a disturbance of the vago-sympathetic centers. In the opinion of the authors this is insufficient explanation. Various other factors should be considered such as change in regime of the patient, acidification of the blood, leucocytic modifications, etc. It has been found that artificially provoked hyperthermias may have the same effect upon asthmatic attacks as spontaneous hyperthermias. There are various methods of such induction of hyperthermia, such as ultra-violet rays, autogenous vaccine, and intravenous injections. The efficacy of these methods lies in the fact that after a remission, the recurring asthmatic attacks are usually less severe and spaced at longer intervals, thus rendering them more amenable to therapy.
Considerations Brown,
Underlying
the Experimental
9. L. : ,4m. J. Ophth.
Production
of Uveitis.
15: 19, 1932.
Various experimental methods to produce uveitis are reviewed. In this work, eyes of rabbits were sensitized by the intraocular administration of bacterial suspensions, stock toxin, eggwhite, foreign erythrocytes and other antigenic substances. The other eye served as a control. These injections caused immediate inflammatory reactions which soon subsided. Ten days later a reinjection of the specific antigen was made intravenously. Within a few hours, the eye previously injected showed circumcorneal injection, contraction of the pupil, vitreous opacities, engorgement of the ciliary bodies, leucocytic infiltrations, and other intlammatory lesions. The uveal tract was particularly affected. Besides great hyperemia of the anterior uvea, there was massive cellular infiltration. The uninjected eye was not involved. It appears! therefore, that uveitis may be a localized allergic manifestation.