The author, who in great measure wrote the classic volumes on the Principles of Bacteriology and Immunity (Topley and Wilson), was until recently the director of Public Health Laboratory Service. Thus, his vast knowledge and keen mind makes him highly qualified to publish the first book devoted to the accidents and complications of immunization and serum therapy. He regards as fundamental, the principle that any doctor applying a remedy to a patient should be conversant as far as possible with its ill effects as well as its good effects.
Considered methodically and in separate chapters are the following hazards in vaccine or antisera production: normal toxicity, faulty production (foreign toxin present, use of wrong culture, and bacterial or viral contamination), faulty administration (due to the use of nonsterile apparatus), contamination from the operator, and so forth. Allergic manifestations—varying from local reactions to serum sickness—anaphylaxis, neuroparalysis, and encephalomyelitis are considered. The