The introduction by Park1 of the 0.1 L + diphtheria toxin-antitoxin mixture seems to have done away with the possibility of its inducing human hypersensitiveness2 to horse serum. Indeed, Bauer and Wilmer3 concluded that hypersensitivity to horse protein is not developed with this mixture; more recently, Spicer4 concluded that previous administration of toxin-antitoxin has little if any effect on subsequent treatment with serum and that the danger of sensitization is greatly exaggerated. On the other hand, Stewart,5 Gatewood and Baldridge6 and Lathrop7 reported instances of sensitization to horse serum after injections of toxin-antitoxin, although no evidence is presented that the hypersensitiveness was not present before the administration of the toxin-antitoxin.
The possibility of sensitization has led Hooker8 to suggest the use of goat serum in the preparation of toxin-antitoxin, and has given impetus to the use of detoxified toxins. In 1924, Ramon9