The conditions of release of a histamine-like substance from isolated guinea-pig's lungs

Abstract

This investigation was started with the object of elucidating the nature of the histamine - like substance (H- substance) recovered from guinea - pigs' lungs during anaphylactic shock, and was then extended to an enquiry into the rôle played by this substance in the anaphylactic reaction. Finally attempts were made to find out whether the liberation of a principle of a similar nature takes place under certain conditions other than anaphylactic shock.The thesis is mainly concerned with the two latter problems and they will be dealt with in the first section. Contributions towards the study of the identity of the H- substance is mainly contained in two previous communications (de Burgh Daly and Schild, 1934, and de Burgh Daly, Peat and Schild, 1935) enclosed herewith, and the results of the research incorporated in these papers will be referred to briefly in connexion with the present investigation and embodied in the second section which reviews the available information as to the nature of the H- substance.