The Erasmus Wilson lectures on the anatomy and pathology of the eye : delivered at the Royal College of Surgeons on Feb. 12th, 14th, and 16th, 1900 / by E. Treacher Collins.

  • Collins, E. Treacher (Edward Treacher), 1862-1937.
Date:
[1900]
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: The Erasmus Wilson lectures on the anatomy and pathology of the eye : delivered at the Royal College of Surgeons on Feb. 12th, 14th, and 16th, 1900 / by E. Treacher Collins. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    is added; and used in the conditions of the test about to be described should cause very little absori:)tion (or destruction?) of complement in a normal blood. This is tested simply as follows: Two tubes are prepared, of which the first contains i volume of normal serum, 4 vokimes of normal saline, and the second 1 viilinne of the same serum, and 4 volumes of the diluted extract. These are incubated together for half an hotir, and to each is added i volume of the immune serum prepared as above, and an excess (5 volumes is usually enough) of 20 per cent, emtilsion of washed human corpuscles. The incubation is repeated for one hour, the tubes being stirred once or twice. At the end of that time they are centrifugalised, and a definite quantity of the clear blood-stained fluid pipetted off and examined in a, hemoglobinom- eter. In a good extract there should be no difference between the two and this is sometimes the case. Usually there is a slight difference which naturally tends to interfere with the accuracy of the reaction. This of course, is common to all methods. I am not prepared to give exact figures, but if there were a marked difference between the amount of hemoglobin dissolved in the two tubes the extract should be discarded or tested again at a higher dilution. The only other ingredients—normal saline and a 20 per cent, emulsion of human corpuscles, well rewashed—do not call for mention. The only apparatus required consists of (i) a Wright's pipette, rather wide—i.e.. about i mm. in internal diameter, with a i unit mark about i inch from the end and a 4 unit mark; (2) a series of small test-tubes about i /8 inch internal diameter and 2 inches long; and (3) an incubator. Good results can be obtained with an ordinary biological incubator at 37° C, and, indeed, most of my results have been obtained in this way. It is, however, a very great advantage, as will appear subsequently, that the mixtures shall not be cold at the final stage. To avoid this the stand in which the tubes are held may be ]:)laced in a water bath at 37° C, and the last addition made whilst they remain in situ. I have recently devised a form of incubator specially for the purpose. It is a modification of Hearson's opsonic incubator, part of the top of which is removable and forms a stand adapted to twenty-four tubes such as I have described. This can be re- moved and placed on a table and the tubes filled in the ordinary way. It can then be returned to the incubator for the rest of the process. The final additions—of immune serum and emulsion— can be made with the tubes in situ and surrounded by warm water. The emulsion and serum may be warmed in the incubator, so that