Disappearance of Human Diphtheria Antitoxin from Human Passive Transfer Skin Sites.

This paper has described further experiences with a passive transfer technic which depends upon the ability of intradermal antitoxin to neutralize Schick toxin introduced simultaneously or later at the same sites. Partial, total or no inhibition of toxic reactions indicates the amount of antitoxin remaining at the skin sites. The amount of antitoxin which has disappeared may be calculated by difference, assuming that 1 Lf toxin = 1 Unit of antitoxin. On the basis of this test 50% of antitoxin introduced at skin sites was generally found to disappear in 10 to 14 hours. No difference in disappearance from the skin was observed between precipitating antitoxin, non-precipitating antitoxin and skin sensitizing antitoxin.