On the Presence in Rabbit Antisera vs. Ragweed Pollen of Skin-Sensitizing Antibodies Passively Transferable to Man

Abstract

Summary: Sixteen of 29 antisera produced in rabbits by the injection of various extracts of short ragweed pollen contained ragweed-specific skin sensitizing antibodies passively transferable to man. There was no regular correlation between the precipitincontent of the serum and its ability to sensitize the human skin. Defatting the pollen, or grinding it in a ball-mill had no apparent effect on its ability to excite the production of skin-sensitizing antibody. Although there was some indication that antisera of animals injected intravenously may contain less of this antibody than those injected subcutaneously or intraäbdominally, further work will be necessary to establish this point.