Autoallergic Hepatitis

Abstract

A NUMBER of human diseases are now accepted as "primary" autoimmune disorders — that is, the immune processes directed against tissue constituents are held responsible for the pathogenesis of the lesions, the word "primary" implying that no known organism or triggering external agent for the perpetuation of the observed autoallergic phenomena can be implicated at present.In hepatic disease, the concept of a primary autoallergic disorder is more speculative. No liver-specific antibodies have yet been demonstrated, and immunization of animals with liver extracts has not given rise to a convincing form of hepatitis or to progressive cirrhosis.¹ In spite of . . .