Abstract
Summary: Experiments are reported dealing with the increased sensitivity to endotoxin of BCG-infected rabbits and mice. With rabbits it was found that infection with BCG has no influence on the pyrogenic responses nor on the skin reactivity in spite of the fact that the sensitivity to lethal shock is greatly enhanced. All attempts of transferring hyperreactivity from BCG-infected to normal mice by mean of lymph node or spleen cells and of serum have failed. Desensitization of hyperreactive animals can be achieved and is nonspecific. The results are discussed in regard to the validity of the hypothesis that endotoxin action, especially in hyperreactive animals, may be mediated by hypersensitivity reactions.

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