EXPERIMENTS ON THE PRODUCTION OF WASSERMANN REAGINS BY MEANS OF TRYPANOSOMES

Since it is known that positive Wassermann reactions prevail in trypanosomiasis of rabbits, similar to those in syphilis, trypanosomes were used for an inquiry into the cause of this reaction. Injections with dead trypanosomes into rabbits proved that these microbes are highly active antigens and suffice in themselves to produce strongly positive Wassermann sera, in analogy to the findings reported by F. Klopstock with Spirochæta pallida. Although a number of questions require further study, yet it seems likely that this antigenic activity of the microbes or their products plays a part in the production of the Wassermann reagins in infections with spirochetes and trypanosomes.