STUDIES IN THE VALUE OF THE
WASSERMANN TEST.
No. IV.
SIGNIFICANCE AND VALUE OF A POSITIVE WASSERMANN
REACTION IN TUBERCULOSIS.
BY
Captain K. R. K. IYENGAR, m.b.,ch.n., D.p.h., i.m.s.,
Assistant Director, Cenral Research Institute, Kasauli.
[Roccivpfl for pnblication. .]iril 1-, Ift.M.]
The sera of 70 patients suffering from tuberculosis wore examined by the Wassermann test with the object of finding out if this disease was responsible for a positive reaction. They were all Indian male adults, between the ages of 20 — 50 years ; some of them were in-patients of King Edward Sanatorium, Dharampur and the others belonged to the Hardinge Hospital. Dharampur. Of these 70 cases, 10 were cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, 14 were cases of tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands, and 10 were cases of abdominal tuberculosis. Fourteen oui of these 70 cases gave a positive Wassermann reaction as shown in thi' following table:—
Table Sliowiiifi the tifpe oj fhe disease and the results of Wnssermami lfst. Typfiif cli'«cii<ic N'l'MBKK OF DOSKS (»F COMPLF.MKNT DEVIATED IS THE Wassermann BEACTIO.V. ASSEMUI.ED BKSl'l TS. Wassermann reaction,
3 6 8 Positive. Ncgotivp. Tot.il. I'lilmnnsry Tubprciilosia. . Tuborculotiiit of thp lym- phatic |>laiirli< AUIoniinal iiibprciilogia .. 32 11 13 U 1
3 1 1 5» 1 2 8 3 3 32 11 13 40 14 lu The percent ige of positive resiiltH was thus 20 per cent. •3 r.iit of 5 cases gave a definite history ^o' recent syiiliilitie infection. ( :}69 •
