Abstract
The method here described produces a protection of the peritoneum against a fatal infection by means of a single intraperitoneal injection. The maximum protection is obtained in 48 hours with some degree within 12 hours. The protection produced is against any of the organisms that are common to the gastro-intestinal tract. Goldblatt and I 1 observed that B. coli suspended in physiological sodium chloride and injected intraperitoneally passed rapidly from the peritoneal cavity into blood and lymph. However, B. coli suspended in gum tragacanth was found to be retained to a marked degree within the peritoneal cavity. Subsequent experiments 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 demonstrated that peritoneal protection against a fatal infection can be achieved by the production of a sufficiently large number of polymorphonuclear phagocytes which appear rapidly. This process was designated as hyperleukocytic pre-immunity and the protection was assumed to be due to a coincident presence of phagocytes evoked by the introduction of the material.
In previous experiments peritoneal protection was achieved by 4 intraperitoneal injections of B. coli suspended in physiological sodium chloride on successive days with a survival of 65% of the animals. Since the peritoneal protection was found to be due to a local migration of polymorphonuclears and, since B. coli in physiological sodium chloride passed from the peritoneal cavity but were retained when suspended in gum tragacanth, it was deduced that a suspension of B. coli in gum tragacanth may constitute a more efficient protecting substance.
Thirty-two dogs were given single intraperitoneal injections of one billion heat killed B. coli (culture 300) suspended in 1% gum tragacanth (bacteria were killed at 80°C. for 10 minutes). At intervals of 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours following the protecting injections, a peritonitis was induced by the intraperitoneal injection of living B. coli suspended in 2 1/2% gum tragacanth.
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