The effect of an injection of mallein on the serum diagnosis of glanders / by J. Basil Buxton.

  • Buxton, J. B. (James Basil)
Date:
[1914?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The effect of an injection of mallein on the serum diagnosis of glanders / by J. Basil Buxton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    There seems, therefore, to be some doubt con¬ cerning the period over which this excess of im¬ mune bodies persists, and also the time at which the increase begins. The following experiments have been carried out with a view to acquiring a more exact knowledge of these facts. The following is a brief description of the tech¬ nique employed in-carrying out the tests. Technique op the Agglutination Test. The antigen consisted of a saline suspension of killed B. mallei of a standard concentration, the organism being obtained from a 24 hours old surface culture on agar or blood agar. The blood to be tested was obtained in the ordinary way from the jugular vein in the case of the larger animals, and from the ear veins in the case of the smaller laboratory animals. The blood (2-3 c,c.) was collected in test tubes, which were placed in the incubator or water bath at 37° C. in a slanting position until the serum had separated off. In the routine examination the following dilu¬ tions of serum were employed :—1 : 125, 1 : 200, 1: 250, 1: 400, 1 : 500, 1 : 750, and 1 :1000. If the blood from several animals was being tested, the pipette was thoroughly washed between each sample, and was always rinsed out with saline between each dilution, in order to avoid any ab¬ normal results in the higher dilutions consequent upon a trace of serum having been left in the pipette. The dilutions having been made, 1 c.c. of antigen was added to each tube, followed by 1 c.c. of the diluted serum. The tubes were then well shaken and incubated overnight at 37° C. In recording the results of the agglutination test, if the last tube containing 1/1000 c.c. of serum showed complete agglutination, the titre was said to be less than 1/2000. If the last tube showed nearly complete agglutination, the titre was recorded as equal to 1/2000. If the last tube showed only a trace of agglutination, while the next to the last showed complete clumping, the titre was said to be equal to 1/1500.