Blood platelet anti‐serum, its specificity and role in the experimental production of purpura

Management of Chronic Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura in Children, with Particular Reference to Immunosuppressive Therapy

“…Transfusions of fresh plasma when 1. and 2. fail to produce a remission. 4. Splenectomy when the above measures do not lead to a remission after 6 to 12 months.…”

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Ample evidence for the role of immunoallergic mechanisms in the aetiology of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) has been presented [1,4,15,16,22,23,24]. The finding that purine-antagonists (6-mercaptopurine, thioguanine, and azathioprine) are capable of suppressing immune responses has led many authors to use these agents in the treatment of ITP [3,7,20,31,34,36,47,48].

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Experimental Production of Bone Marrow Aplasia by Immunological Means

“…Fig. 2. Changes in platelet number of guinea-pigs given anti-platelet and normal rabbit sera, 0.5 ml.…”

“…Although the study of immune processes in blood diseases dates back to the commencement of this century (2,3,10,32,36), de finite pathogenetic role of immune mechanism in a blood dyscrasia was shown, for the first time, by D ameshek and Schw a r tz (11). Since that time many papers have appeared dealing with an immunological basis of changes in certain diseases of haemopoiesis involving erythrocytes (5, 34), leukocytes (14, 15 ,30) and platelets (1,13,20).…”

Studies on Thrombopoiesis

“…The acute lowering of platelet levels could be secondary to platelet destruction similar to that described for saponin (19) and for anti-platelet antibodies (20). It is also possible that the material could cause platelet sequestration such as described in hypothermia (21) and thromboplastin administration (22).…”