Immunity of Guinea-pigs to Diphtheria Toxin and its Effect upon the Offspring

Extract

1. A male guinea-pig which has received a single injection of a mixture of diphtheria toxin-antitoxin causing severe constitutional disturbance, may beget offspring of slightly lower resistance than normal to diphtheria toxin

2. This effect is generally restricted to young born within twelve months after the injection of the father, being rarely noticed in the young of later litters.

3. An increased susceptibility to diphtheria toxin is likewise observed in the offspring of male or female guinea-pigs which have received a large dose of horse serum. The greater susceptibility to diphtheria toxin of the young of male guinea-pigs which have been treated with toxin-antitoxin may therefore be non-specific in character.

4. The injection of diphtheria toxin-antitoxin mixtures into guinea-pigs whether male or female reduces their rate of breeding and lowers the vitality of their young.

5. These effects are most pronounced when the toxin-antitoxin mixture produces severe constitutional disturbance or contains excess of horse serum