The Significance of the Takata-Ara Reaction in the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Hepatic Cirrhosis

By M. NARAYANA PAI, m.b., b.s. King Institute, Guindy, Madras The Takata-Ara reaction was first introduced by Takata (1925) as a laboratory test for differentiation between lobar pneumonia and broncho-pneumonia. In the same year, Takata and Ara (1925) working on spinal fluid introduced a modification of the test, affording a differentiation between the syphilitic and meningitic types of spinal fluids. The value of this test in the diagnosis of hepatic cirrhosis was first mentioned by Staub (1929); Jezler (1929) tried this test on blood serum and found that it produced a flocculation in the great majority of cases of hepatic cirrhosis. This paper deals with its value in the diagnosis and prognosis of hepatic cirrhosis. Material employed.?Specimens of blood serum and ascitic fluid were used for the tests.