Observations upon the Complement Titre in Experimental Leukopenia and Leucocytosis. ∗

Abstract

In connection with the causation of the Schultz syndrome or so-called agranulocytic angina, allergy has been considered as a factor. 1 ,² In observations upon allergy Deutsch and Weiss 3 have shown that the complement titre was markedly lowered and in anaphylactic shock, apparently absent.

During certain studies upon the production of granulocytopenic leucopenia with bacterial toxins 4 ,⁵ we considered that it would be of interest to make observations upon the complement content of animals in which these cells had been depressed. As another factor in the production of granulocytopenic leucopenia we added the use of benzene inoculations. In addition to the animals wherein the leucocytes were depressed, others were employed in which experimental leucocytosis had been provoked.

In the present experiments 36 guinea pigs and 18 rabbits were employed. The complement titre of all rabbits used was found to be approximately 1/10 the strength of that of the guinea pigs. Seventeen guinea pigs in which granulocytopenic leukopenia was produced with in vivo prepared toxic filtrates of B. enteritidis and B. typhosus were bled from the heart. Eight rabbits were injected with benzene in olive oil over a period of 7 to 9 days with the production of leukopenia after which blood was withdrawn from the heart. The leukopenia could be more consistently produced in the guinea pig than in the rabbit.

In the production of experimental leucocytosis as previously found by us, 6 antigens of staphylococcus, milk, and B. typhosus injected intravenously in rabbits provoked the higher leucocytic responses of the group employed. In the present work, therefore, 15 guinea pigs and 5 rabbits were injected with sterile milk or suspensions of killed Staphylococcus aureus. The rabbits injected intravenously yielded a more constant and higher leucocytosis than the guinea pig.