Abstract
Summary
Brucella somatic antigen was given intraperitoneally to five groups of adrenalectomized male CBC mice, kept under standard conditions. Four of these groups received additional treatment consisting of either 2.5 γ or of 25.0 γ of 9 α-fluorohydrocortisone acetate or of cortisone acetate. The rectal temperatures of these mice were measured by means of a thermistor-bridge circuit at 50 minute intervals for a six-hour period. Mice given only the endotoxin showed a progressive decrease of the rectal temperature to the level of the room temperature. Both 9 α-fluorohydrocortisone acetate and cortisone acetate protected against this hypothermia induced by endotoxin, but the former compound was decisively more potent than was the latter. The substitution of a fluorine atom in the 9 α-position of a corticoid seems to be associated with a clear and statistically significant enhancement of antitoxic activity.
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