Abstract
In a previous communication 1 a method was described for the detection and titration of immune bodies in poliomyelitis, with reference to the applicability of the test in the study of susceptible persons, carriers, therapeutic value of serums from normal adults, and in relation to prognosis and convalescence.
A total of 363 serums has been studied to date. These included 100 normal adults and 100 normal children (age groups 6 weeks to 19 years), 58 convalescent serums (monkey, adult human, and children), 76 normal animals (monkey, horse, goat, and sheep), and 29 immune animal serums (monkey, horse, goat and sheep).
The results have agreed with known facts. The specificity of the test has been demonstrated also by observations made during all stages of poliomyelitis in the human and in the monkey.
The progressive development of immune bodies could be shown to occur during convalescence, particularly in those cases where rapid and complete recovery ultimately took place. These antibodies could not be found in the blood serum of patients or animals with a poor outlook as to recovery. When the disease went on to a protracted convalescence with poor or slow restoration of muscular activity, these immune bodies were found to be weak or negligible in quantity.
The serums from infants and very young children did not show any protective properties whatsoever and the same was true for 34% of adults, thus agreeing with the known facts of susceptibility to poliomyelitis and the neutralizing power against the virus of serums from certain normal adult persons.
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