Abstract
Although rabbit antipneumococcus sera offer certain theoretical 1 , 2 , 3 and practical 4 advantages in pneumonia therapy their use has not been without danger, so that a simple, though incomplete, method of antibody purification might be of value. The following method of preparing globulin for therapeutic purposes has been in effective use at the Presbyterian Hospital and is novel only in the substitution of efficient centrifugation for dialysis in the removal of the sodium sulfate used for precipitating the globulin. Analyses, data on administration, and excerpts from patients charts are given.
Sera and solutions were kept sterile; the water and 0.85% saline solution used were prepared with the precautions essential for safe intravenous use. Anhydrous sodium sulfate of the highest purity was sterilized by heat before use. The rabbit sera were allowed to stand in the cold for some weeks and freed from separated lipids and sediment. Antisera of a single type, containing 1.0 mg. of type-specific anticarbohydrate nitrogen or more wrere pooled, diluted when necessary to reduce the antibody N content to 1.0 to 1.5 mg. per ml., and precipitated at 35-38°C. with an equal volume of filtered sodium sulfate solution saturated at the same temperature. After centrifugation at 3000-3500 r.p.m. the clear supernatant was drawn off and discarded; the precipitate was broken up and centrifuged again. The precipitate was washed with warm 60% saturated sodium sulfate solution and was repeatedly broken up and centrifuged until no more liquid could be obtained. The precipitate was dissolved in water, run through an ignited Chamberland L2 filter, and rinsed through with 0.85% saline solution. 1% by volume of 1 % Merthiolatef was finally added. The solution may be heated at 56°. 4
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