The Journal of Medical Research (1; V. 6)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1901. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... even when combined with normal serum. One of these patients soon died. The other finally improved, and his blood then regained its power of killing typhoid bacilli when combined with normal serum. The results of these investigations suggested a possible diagnostic value for the procedure. That is, could not a suspected case be proved one of typhoid fever if its serum, properly combined with normal serum, destroyed typhoid bacilli? This hope, however, was completely shattered by the first control case to which the test was applied, a case of pneumonia after crisis; for the serum of this patient combined with normal serum digested typhoid bacilli in a manner exactly similar to that exhibited by the typhoid serum. Under these conditions, therefore, the reaction was not a specific one. Indeed, this fact was brought out still more sharply by the next observations which were made upon the sera of two normal individuals, neither of whom had ever had typhoid fever. Each of these sera alone had but little destructive power. Properly combined, however (1-2-3), they destroyed the bacilli as completely as the typhoid serum combined with normal serum. On the other hand, if the sera were mixed before adding the bacilli (3-2-1), no effect was produced. The next observations wefe made upon the serum of a single normal individual. Two specimens were used, one fresh, the other twenty-four hours old. This also proved to be a strong combination (1-2-3). Finally, the interesting fact was brought out that fresh normal serum from a single individual, if combined in proper order (1-2-2) with typhoid bacilli, produced oftentimes as marked destruction of the bacilli as the best typhoid serum. The following series of observations illustrate this point: Serum of M. W. R. (i ...