Influence of Sterile Inflammation on Susceptibility to Experimental Poliomyelitis. ∗

Abstract

Summary and Conclusions

1. Following surgical section of the olfactory tracts or treatment of the nasal mucosa with zinc sulphate, the monkey can still be infected by intravenous inoculation, whether or not a sterile inflammation of the central nervous system is produced. 2. An increase in susceptibility to intravenous inoculation in monkeys with a sterile inflammation of the central nervous system is indicated by the experiments; variation in susceptibility in individual animals is always, however, an important factor. 3. The failure of sterile inflammation of the central nervous system to alter the protective action of nasal treatment with zinc sulphate suggests that the action of zinc sulphate is localized in the olfactory mucosa. 4. The resistance of the monkey to poliomyelitis infection by the gastrointestinal route was not sufficiently altered by a sterile inflammation of the central nervous system to produce the disease.