Abstract
Summary
1. Among 34 strains of Streptococcus erysipelatis grown in tryptic medium at 37° C., the maximum toxin concentration was obtained in the lots incubated about 48 hours. 2. A skin test dose of 0.1 cc. of a 1 :lo00 dilution of erysipelas toxic filtrate produced in the skin of susceptible persons a lesion which measured more than 1.5 cm. in diameter. 3. Complete neutralization of one skin test dose of the erysipelas toxin was obtained by mixing it with an equal amount of convalescent erysipelas serum, or 0.00 1 cc. of erysipelas antistreptococcic rabbit or donkey sera. 4. During the acute stages of erysipelas the patient's blood serum and urine contained a toxic substance which was completely neutralized by convalescent erysipelas serum and which disappeared from the patient's blood serum and urine as soon as twelve hours after the administration intramuscularly of 25 to 100 CC. of the erysipelas antistreptococcic rabbit or donkey sera. 5. Positive skin reactions were obtained by one skin test dose of erysipelas streptococcic toxin in 27 per cent of apparently normal adults and 21 per cent of normal school children. 6. Among nineteen persons with definite histories of single and recurrent attacks of erysipelas, 4 persons gave positive reactions with one skin test dose of the erysipelas streptococcic toxin. 7. Neutralization of the erysipelas streptococcic toxin was not accomplished by Dochez'scarlatinal antistreptococcic serum, nor by normal rabbit or horse sera.
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