Abstract
Summary
1. Determination of anti-staphy-lococcal alpha hemolysin titers in 211 blood donors revealed that almost half had no detectable titers. Thirty-seven had titers of 2 units or greater but only 6 had titers greater than 4 units. Patients with recurrent furun-culosis revealed a similar distribution in contrast to titers of 8 to 24 units in patients with osteomyelitis. 2. Anti-hemolysin titers on 26 lots of commercial pooled human gamma globulin ranged from 6 to 24 units per ml with a median titer of 12 units. An investigational de-aggregated gamma globulin preparation had 6 units per ml. “Hemagglutinating” anti-staphylococcal antibodies were also present in high titer. 3. Administration of gamma globulin produced striking amelioration of the standard rabbit-burn infection, and also protected against dermonecrosis produced by alpha hemolysin in normal skin. 4. The role of gamma globulin in the prevention of infection in burned patients is considered.
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