A note on the effect of heat on the rinderpest immune bodies / by J.D.E. Holmes.

  • Holmes, John Dalrymple Edgar, 1867-
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A note on the effect of heat on the rinderpest immune bodies / by J.D.E. Holmes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Bul] No. 15.—Inoculated with 25*56 c. c. semni+0*5 c. c. defibrinated V. B. from Bull No. 4. (54 c. c. per 600 lbs. body weight.) 7th-10thday . . . 40-0°C. 21st day .... Discontinued. Bull No. 19.—Inoculated with 37*98 c. c. serum+0*5 c. c. defibri- nated V. B. from Bull No. 4. (108 c. c. per 600' lbs. body weight.) 9tli-lltli day . . . 40*0°C. 21st day .... Discontinued. Bull No. 24.—Inoculated with 38*70 c. c. serumd-0*5 c. c. defibri- nated V. B. from Bull No. 4. (108 c. c. per 600 lbs. body weight.) 6th-7tli day . . . 40*0°C. 8th day .... 40*4°C. 9th „ . . . . 40-3°C. 21st . . . . Discontinued. A serum heated to 60^C. (140°F.) for one hour retains its original potency. Conclusions. The results of these tests are in support of the conclusion that Rinder- pest anti-serum does not become altered in potency by a short exposure to a high temperature ; also that the sterilisation of this serum can be accomplished without any detriment to the value of the serum. The results are also of a further interest inasmuch as they show that the action of the Rinderpest anti-serum is not dependent on a comple- ment contained in itself. The experiments of Pfeiffer demonstrated that a serum was inacti- vated by heating to 55°C. and that inactivated serum did not kill or dissolve the bacilli against which it was prepared. It was necessary to add fresh complement obtained from the serum of a healthy animal in order to restore the destructive action. Immune bodies are not altered by exposure to a temperature of 60-65°C. for a period of an hour whereas the complement of serum is destroyed by heating to 55°C. for half an hour. The Rinderpest serum evidently obtains a suitable complement in the body of injected cattle.