Abstract
The post-mortem autolysis of normal, anaphylactic and immune guinea pig livers was followed by determining the changes in the relative amounts of coagulable and non-coagulable nitrogen (Kjeldahl method). The anaphylactic guinea pigs had been sensitized by a single injection of egg-white or goat serum. The sensitizing dose varied from 0.1 c.c. to 2 c.c. Analyses were made from 11 to 17 days after the injection. The immunized guinea pigs had been injected at 4-7 day intervals with from 3 to 7 doses of the same antigens. They were analyzed from 8 to 12 days after the final injection. A summary of the data so obtained is shown in the following table:
The table shows a slight decrease in the average total N per gram of liver tissue in the anaphylactic animals, and a distinct decrease in the immune animals, the decrease being particularly marked in certain selected cases.
The table also shows a distinct increase in the average percentage of non-coagulable N in both anaphylactic and immune animals, confirming data recently published by Pick and Hashimoto. 1
Contrary to their findings, however, the anaphylactic livers showed no increase in the amount of post-mortem autolysis.
A distinct increase in post-mortem autolysis, however, was observed in the immune livers, the phenomenon being particularly marked in certain selected cases. The selected animals were for the most part guinea pigs in which a marked Arthus phenomenon had been produced.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.