SEROLOGIC CURE (?) IN THE LIGHT OF INCREASINGLY SENSITIVE WASSERMANN TESTS

Among recent modifications of the Wassermann reaction which are accepted today as adding to the refinement and delicacy of the test are the employment of cholesterin-sensitive antigens and the fixation of the complement under conditions of cold rather than as was originally carried out at 37 C. in the thermostat. In 1912-1913, McNeil,¹ employing comparative tests with incubation at 37 C. and at ice-box temperature, showed an increase of more than 10 per cent. in delicacy of the low temperature over the high. These results were substantiated by Coca and L'Esperance,² and in a large series of cases more recently by Smith and MacNeal.³

These authors conclude that the use of simple alcoholic antigen with the first incubation carried out in the ice-box is more sensitive in the detection of syphilis than the use of cholesterin-reinforced antigen with incubation at 37 C. or simple alcoholic antigen at