Human Hypersensitiveness to Whole Horse Serum or Serum Globulins Following Diphtheria Toxin-Antitoxin Injections—Its Importance

Abstract

This preliminary communication is made at this time because of the interest aroused by Hooker's communication at the December meeting of the Society of American Bacteriologists. He observed that a considerable percentage of adults who had some months previously received three injections of diphtheria toxin-antitoxin (3 L plus preparation) developed a skin sensitiveness to horse serum. Two series of observations are here presented, one on children, the other on adults which confirm Hooker's conclusion, that a specific skin hypersensitiveness may be induced, in a moderate percentage of children and adults by the injection of the minute amount of horse serum globulins contained in the toxin-antitoxin injections. The results of tests on untreated persons and on those who had received larger amounts of serum globulins are also given as a comparison. As the antitoxin globulin solution is universally used to supply the antitoxin in the toxin-antitoxin, the globulin solution is used as the testing substances in most cases.