Variation in susceptibility of guinea-pigs to diphtheria toxin / by H.J. Südmersen and A.T. Glenny.

  • Südmersen, Henry J.
Date:
[1909?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Variation in susceptibility of guinea-pigs to diphtheria toxin / by H.J. Südmersen and A.T. Glenny. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    3/16
    [.4ZZ Rights reserved] VARIATION IN SUSCEPTIBILITY OF GUINEA- PIGS TO DIPHTHERIA TOXIN. By H. J. SUDMERSEN, Ph.D., and A. T. GLENNY, B.Sc. {From the Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories, Brockwell Hall, Herne Hill, London, S.E.) Introduction. During the course of investigations which have been made during the past two years on the transmission of immunity to diphtheria toxin in guinea-pigs it was observed that a seasonal variation in the dose was necessary in order to cause the death of control animals. This variation was seen to follow somewhat the time of year at which the tests were made, so that during summer a larger dose was necessary than during the winter. We found also that in winter a guinea-pig took a longer time to come up to the standard weight of 250 grms. than in summer, and that the lethal dose varied directly with its age. So far as we are aware there are no records at present in the litera¬ ture of such variation in the case of diphtheria intoxication. Reid Hunt and Seidell have found that the lethal dose of acetonitril to mice is lower during the summer than during the winter months; the reverse of that which we have observed in the case of diphtheria toxin on guinea-pigs. In their paper no mention is made either of the ages of the mice used or of the variation if any in susceptibility dependent upon age apart from weight. Method. The toxin selected was a stable one, having been prepared in December 1900. On each occasion of testing guinea-pigs, the progeny of treated parents which had arrived at the standard weight of 250 grms., control tests were made on normal guinea-pigs of the same weight in order to guard against false conclusions arising from any unexpected deterioration. In this way results have accumulated from more than 100 normal guinea-pigs. As will readily be understood a large number of animals were not necessary as controls on each occasion, the tests Journ. of Hyg. ix 27