A RAPID METHOD OF PROTECTING THE PERITONEUM AGAINST PERITONITIS

Abstract

The subject of peritonitis and especially its prevention by active immunity methods lately has aroused the interest of American investigators. The problem of active peritoneal immunity may be said to have been opened by Pfeiffer and Isaeff¹ with their demonstration of bacterial lysis within the peritoneal cavity in immunized animals (Pfeiffer phenomenon). This lysis was shown by the authors to be humoral and produced by the bacteriolysins of the serum. The next step was made by Piérallini,² who found that a leukocytic exudate could be obtained in the peritoneal cavity by the injection of foreign substances, including physiologic solution of sodium chloride. He was followed by Garnier,³ who confirmed the presence of a leukocytic exudate in the peritoneal cavity of immunized animals, and found that bacteria are rapidly destroyed in the presence of such an exudate. Solieri⁴ definitely applied such immune responses to peritonitis. He produced