Oxidized Cotton, an Immunologically Specific Polysaccharide

Abstract

Cotton oxidized with nitrogen dioxide to cellobiuronic acid products containing 16 and 21%[long dash]COOH will precipitate at high dilutions antipheumococcus Types III and VIII horse sera but not Types I and II. Quantitative data from the 16%[long dash]COOH sample indicate a degree of cross-reactivity entirely comparable to that of corresponding pneumococcus specific polysaccharids. Reactions follow predictions based on chem. constitution.