REACTIONS OF RABBITS TO NON-HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCI

Abstract

1. Accompanying and following the evolution of a secondary reaction in the skin of rabbits after inoculation with suitable doses of certain non-hemolytic streptococci there quickly develops a general state of hypersensitiveness or allergy towards these streptococci. 2. This state is made evident by ophthalmic reactions following corneal inoculations, by much increased reactivity of the skin following intracutaneous reinoculations, and by lethal reactions, resembling tuberculin shock, following intravenous inoculations. 3. In a given hypersensitive rabbit there is a rough parallelism in the intensities of these different kinds of reactions. 4. This type of hypersensitiveness or bacterial allergy does not follow primary intravenous inoculation of rabbits with comparable doses of the streptococci employed. 5. As the development of this type of hypersensitiveness or bacterial allergy seems to accompany the production of focal lesions of a certain intensity, it is probable that in these foci are produced the substances or conditions which lead to this type of bacterial allergy.