A note on hæmolysin and hæmagglutinin with reference to the Wassermann Reaction / C.C. Okell and H.J. Parish.

  • Okell, C. C. (Charles Cyril), 1888-1939.
Date:
[1924?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A note on hæmolysin and hæmagglutinin with reference to the Wassermann Reaction / C.C. Okell and H.J. Parish. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    titre and the rising curve of the haem agglutinating titre tend to meet. As a consequence the serum from the final bleeding in this case proved unsuitable for haemolytic tests, since haemagglutination of the cells interfered with and masked haemolysis. As is well known, both horses and other animals occasionally contain naturally occurring anti-sheep haemolysin in their serum. For example, Boerner (1915) reported the presence of natural anti-sheep haemolysin in the serum of four of a series of two hundred horses which he examined ; we have found it in two of a series of one hundred. Horses may also contain diphtheria antitoxin in their serum prior to immunization. Glenny and Sudmersen (1921) have shown that this normal antitoxin indicates the presence of active immunity, and that the animals react with the “ secondary stimulus ” response. In their experience also these horses are the most suitable for immunization. On analogy one would expect a more ready response to injections with sheep’s red cells when natural anti-sheep haemolysin is present. Buth Gilbert (1922) obtained large quantities of high-titre serum from a mule which before immunization contained in its blood natural haemolysin for sheep’s cells. We also have recently immunized a horse whose serum was naturally haemolytic for sheep’s cells in a titre of 1 in 32, and found that this animal responded exceptionally well to its immunization (Chart 2). No naturally occurring agglutinin for sheep’s cells was detectable in this horse. The test haemolytic system consisted of 1 c.c. of serum dilution (in this case 1 in 32), 1 c.c. of 5‘0 per cent, washed and re-suspended sheep’s red cells, and 1 c.c. of 5 per cent, guinea-pig serum (complement) of normal activity. Headings were made after one hour in the water-bath at 37° C. Cells washed with Binger’s fluid were used throughout for injection, as these appeared to cause less reaction than cells washed with normal saline. The following series of red-cell doses was given : 1, 5, 10, 10, 15, 20 and 25 c.c., the interval between each dose being from three to five days. The horse showed remarkably little reaction to the gradually increasing doses of the injections, and only once had the same dose to be repeated owing to a rise in temperature. Within five weeks, after 86 c.c. in all of red cells had been injected, the haemolytic titre had reached 1 in 4200 and the hsemagglutinative 1 in 64. The details of the immunization of this horse are shown in Chart 2. In connection with the occurrence of natural haemolysin in animals, we thought it of interest to determine whether the natural haemolysin present in this horse was of an isophile or heterophile type (Forssman, 1911 ; Friedemann, 1917). Following Taniguchi’s technique (1921), we were unable to show any absorption of the haemolysin by alcoholic and watery extracts of guinea-pig kidney and horse heart (heterophile antigens). Moreover, the haemolysin present before immunization showed similar sensitiveness to heat as a haemolytic horse-serum of the same titre of known isophile origin. This indicates that the natural haemolysin present in this case was isophile in type. We are thus faced with a similar problem as in the case of the naturally occurring diphtheria antitoxin of the horse, where up to now it has been impossible to demonstrate the presence of any specific stimulus for its production.