Immunity to Exotoxin of Streptococcus Hemolyticus Developed During Scarlet Fever, and Other Conditions as Shown by Skin Tests

[摘要] A historical note shows that skin tests may be used as an approximate quantitative measure of scarlet fever antitoxin in the blood stream.Method . We found intradermal injections of 1, 2, and 6 s.t.d. of scarlet fever toxin was a suitable method for testing the degree of immunity to scarlet fever. Somewhat more antitoxin-treated cases of scarlet fever showed immunity in convalescence, as well as a somewhat greater degree of immunity than the untreated cases, after the serum was believed to have disappeared. Only severe cases were given serum. Seven of 13 cases that remained Dick positive in convalescence were classed as mild, 6 severe. Figures comparing immunity, in convalescence, of mild and severe cases of scarlet fever are given (see tables 1 to 4 and charts 1 and 2).Our patients (mostly suffering from contagious diseases) possessed a greater degree of immunity to scarlet fever than our normal adults (see table 7).It was shown that carrying diluted toxin about in a pocket for eight hours caused some deterioration (see table 8).Repeated (at three-day intervals) injections of 1, 2, and 6 s.t.d. of scarlet fever toxin (5 to 9 triple injections) in Dick positive young adults caused most to become negative to 1 and 2 s.t.d., but none became negative to 6 s.t.d. None of 3 Dick positive children became negative to 2 triple injections (see table 9).Subcutaneous injections of 1, 2, and 6 s.t.d. of scarlet fever toxin, gave varying results from intracutaneous in 4 of 14 cases. Subcutaneous reactions, in addition, seemed to be paler and more diffuse than the intracutaneous.Our negro patients did not possess a greater degree of antitoxic immunity to scarlet fever than our white patients.Our measles patients having a negative Dick test showed a greater average degree of immunity to scarlet fever than the average of our groups of infected patients having a negative Dick test (excepting scarlet fever patients).The per cent of tonsils present in Dick negative individuals, Dick positive individuals, and cases of scarlet fever was compiled, as well as in cases of scarlet fever grouped as to severity. Between the Dick negative individuals, the Dick positive individuals, and the cases of scarlet fever, there was no significant variation in the percentage of tonsils present. The group of scarlet fever cases classed as mildest in severity of 4 groups showed the smallest percentage of tonsils present (see table 10).

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）