Abstract
Summary
It has been demonstrated that whole plasma and saline extracts of lung, liver, spleen, and kidney of the shocked animal. but not the normal animal, are capable of inducing the generalized Shwartzman reaction in endotoxin or Thorotrast-primed recipients with the same severity and frequency as purified bacterial endotoxin. The active material may be isolated by extraction with trichloroacetic acid and dialysis in the manner employed for bacterial polysaccharides. A number of similarities are noted in the biologic effects of shock toxin and bacterial endotoxin. The appearance of the toxin in the circulation within minutes of the onset of shock and the prevention of its appearance by antibiotic pretreatment are discussed with respect to the endogenous or exogenous source of the toxin.
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