The antigenic content of Staphylococcus aureus culture filtrates. (Antigen analysis with the aid of the Schultz-Dale technic

516

THE

JOURNAL

OF

ALLERGY

The Antigenic Content of Staphylococcus Aureus Culture Filtrates. (Antigen alysis With the Aid of the Schultz-Dale Technic. Sehaaf, I?., alld Robert, Ztschr.

f. ImmunitLtsforsch.

u. exper.

Therap.

90:

192,

AnP.:

3937.

The authors investigated the antigenic components of the StnphyZococc~s azcreus culture filtrate, the StaphyZococc~s (IWRUS anatoxin, and the heat-treated staphylococcus filtrate. In a controlled series of experiments, they showed that guinea pigs could be sensitized by increasing subcutaneous doses of a Staphylococcus aureus filtrate, prepared from a type 72 NBlis culture and grown on RamonN@lis bouillon. This filtrate, changed chemically by formaldehyde and physically by heat, also produced sensitization in the guinea pig. By means of the Schultz-Dale technique, the authors demonstrated four characteristic and antigenic groups in the Staphylococcus azcreus filtrates: (1) A thermostable and formalstabile group, present in the untreated, heat-treated, and formaldehyde-treated filtrates; (2) a formallabile and thermostabile group, absent in the formalized culture but present in the heated one; (3) a thermolabile and formalstabile group, present in the formalized treated culture but not in the heat-treated one; and (4) a formallabile and thermolabile group, present only in the untreated culture.

Alimentary

Anaphylaxis

in Guinea

Parenteral and E’nteral h’outes. Compt. rend. Sot. de biol., Paris

Pigs

Sensitized

With

Savy, I’., Martin, 124: 1121, 1937.

E.

Egg Lipoids I’.,

and

by the

Receveur,

E.:

The authors report that an aqueous suspension of lipoids, chemically extracted from egg yolk, was in itself incapable of sensitizing guinea pigs. However, by combining the egg yolk lipoids with proteins, the writers were able to demonstrate the production of anaphylaxis in the guinea pig by the parenteral route. The guinea pigs were sensitized with a mixture of egg yolk lipoid and a commercial preparation of paraffin and agar-agar. Five intraperitoneal injections of 2 C.C. of the mixture were given at intervals of two days. After an interval of sixteen days, 1 C.C. of the pure lipoid suspension, given intracardially, produced anaphylaxis. In every instance, attempts at onteral sensitization by feeding the guinea pigs egg yolk lipoid mixed with either beef bile or the agar preparation produced only questionable results.

A Cinematic Proc.

Sot.

Study

of Bronchiolar

Exper.

Biol.

& Med.

Reactions. 36:

Sollmann,

J.,

and

Gilbert,

A.

J.:

16, 1937.

The authors report that fresh sections of excised lung of the dog, cat, rabbit, and rat may be used for microscopic study of ciliary activity, rhythmic contractions, peristalsis, and anaphylactic reactions. The cilia were found to remain active in sections for more than eight hours. Drugs affecting the anatomic system had no visible influence on ciliary activity. Rhythmic bronehiolar contractions were seen to occur spontaneously in the bronchiole sections. Mecholyl (acetyl-B-methyl-choline chloride) even in dilutions of 1 :l,OOO,OOO augmented the spontaneous contractions and produced definite rhythmic peristaltic waves. Constrictors in the order of their effect,iveness, included mecholyl, histamine, barium, physostigmine, pilocarpine, cyanide, and nicotine. Histamine and mecholyl in concentrations of I :l,OOO,OflO produced marked constriction of dog Atropine proved to be highly effective in counteracting the effects of bronchioles. mecholyl, physostigmine, and pilocarpine, but not of histamine. Papaverine (:hlo~eform and ether were generally inefcounteracted most constrictors. fective in this respect.