Reactions of Rabbits to Non-hemolytic

In previous communications (1) we reported the phenomenon of secondary reaction to certain strains of green streptococci. Briefly this consists of an inflammatory reaction which appears about the 8th to 10th day after intracutaneous inoculation of rabbits with these microorganisms and at a time after the primary reaction has receded. Because we were unable to obtain the reaction in any species of animal except the rabbit it was thought that it might be a hypersensitive reaction of the nature of the Arthus phenomenon; but a number of experiments designed to test this hypothesis failed to prove it (2). As many features of the secondary reaction recalled certain points in the type of allergy seen in tuberculous infection attempts were made to determine whether it might not represent an allergic reaction of this type. The object of this communication is to present the detailed evidence which indicates that after the development of the secondary reaction the animals have a type of hypersensitiveness which closely resembles so called tuberculin allergy.