On the Precipitaion Reaction of the Substance Extracted from Gonococci

Abstract

It is a matter of regret that on the specific precipitation reaction of the substance extracted from gonococci, there have been few achievements generally accepted. Our predecessors have tried and extracted the precipinogen for the precipitation reaction from gonococci by boiling with organic solvent, but in vain, the reactions of which having always been negative.
We have to-day Dr. Machida's report that the substance of typhoid bacillus and of cholera vibrio extracted by boiling with the solvent of from 70 to 80 per cent. alcohol, have and retain, without adding any Schlepper to themsclves, antigenicity in vivo as well as in vitro.
The immediate impetus to attempt our research studies in utilizing Dr. Machida's method as the basis of practical means for the extraction of the substance from gonococci came from his successful results. In our predecessors' studies, both the temperature and the concentration of the extracting solvent had not been taken into consideration in a strict sense of the word. Unsatisfiable consequences would have been of necessity the results of such undue methods.
The authors, taking advantage of Dr. Machida's method, tried and extracted the thermo-stable precipinogen by boiling gonococci with alcohol or methylalcohol of from 70 to 80 per cent. purity.
We, using the precipinogen thus obtained, tested the precipitation reaction with the serum of a rabbit immunized against gonococci and reached such results as summarized as follows:
(1) The substance of specific gonococci-precipinogen is to be extracted by boiling with alcohol or methyl-alcohol duly diluted by water, the purity of which being from 70 to 80 per cert. If the concentration of the extracting solvent occurs under or above this standard percentage, the extraction of the specific precipinogen from gonococci will be be less in both cases.
(2) The organic solvents such as chloroform, aceton, petroleum ether, and hydrogen-sulphide are quite unsuitable regardless of their concentratien to the extraction of the specific precipinogen.
(3) The substance which is extracted from gonococci with such chemicals as proxide of hydrogen and natrium-taurnchol or gained by dissociating gonococci vaccine through the procedure of freezing and heating. may little be available as the precipinogen. The extracting solvent of alcohol or methyl-alcohol of due purity will be better than any other solvent for the purpose concerned.
(4) The substance of the gonococci-precipinogen extracted with the alcohol or methyl-alcohol of from 70 to 80 per cent. purity is thermo-stable.
(5) The serum of a rabbit, immunized against gonococci, which present a positive reaction in the complement fixation reaction. reacts also in the gonococci-precipitation reaction positive.
In both reaction experiments, parallel reactions may roughly been seen; thus if the serum reacts positive in the former, the same will be the case in the latter.