Effect of Environmental Temperature on Tetanus Intoxication in Mice.

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Abstract
Summary Observations were made on survival times of mice poisoned with relatively large doses of tetanus toxin and kept at either 5°C, 21°C or 35°C. The results showed that survival times were markedly influenced by the temperature over a wide range of doses. Animals kept at 35°C after poisoning died very much more quickly than those kept at 21°C (the temperature of acclimatization) and in general animals kept at 5°C also showed markedly reduced survival times. When measurements of the body temperatures of mice were made during intoxication it was found that body temperature decreased steadily from an early stage of intoxication. The results are interpreted as showing that tetanus toxin interferes either primarily or secondarily with the processes of heat production and the possibility that the mode of action of tetanus toxin is via a widespread injury at the subcellular level is discussed.

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