REACTIONS OF RABBITS TO NON-HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCI : II. SKIN REACTIONS IN INTRAVENOUSLY IMMUNIZED ANIMALS

Abstract

Rabbits immunized intravenously with living culture or nucleoproteins of non-hemolytic streptococci react to subsequent intracutaneous inoculations with homologous streptococci with smaller and harder lesions than are shown by normal animals similarly inoculated; and they do not develop the general manifestations of hypersensitiveness such as are shown by animals previously inoculated into the tissues with the same cultures. A rabbit may react to intracutaneous inoculation with non-hemolytic streptococci in one of four ways, depending on whether it is normal, hypersensitive, immune or cachectic. Most normal animals show a secondary reaction about 10 days after inoculation with suitable strains of non-hemolytic streptococci; hypersensitive, allergic, or hyperergic animals show much larger lesions than do normals with the corresponding doses of the same streptococci, and practically never show secondary reactions; immune animals show smaller and harder early lesions and usually do not have secondary reactions if they are fairly well immunized. Cachectic animals show very soft and rapidly fading primary reactions and no secondary reactions.