[A simplified emulsification method for antigens with oil adjuvants].

In order to enhance the immune response, people usually add adjuvant to the antigen in immunization. Freund's adjuvant is one of the most used. It can prolong the duration of the antigen staying in the body of the animal, and through continuous stimulation of the antigen the production of antibody is increased. This paper describes a few points in facilitating the emulsification of the antigen and making it more effective. The process can be summarized as follows: (1) Force a small amount of adjuvant from syringe B by pushing it into syringe A filled with antigen solution to mingle with the latter. (2) Push the same volume of the mix from syringe A back to syringe B slowly. (3) Repeat the above mixing process until the mixed portion has become milky white. (4) Gradually increase the volume by small amounts and each time do the same mixing until final completion. After immunization with the mixture, potent sera were always obtained. It has become a routine in this laboratory to use such mixture in its immunization tasks.

[Preparation of toxoid from Taiwan cobra (Naja naja atra) venom].

Potency of sixty antitoxic unit was reached after two immunizations in 2-week intervals of rabbits and horses with 10-25 mg Taiwan cobra (Naja naja atra) venom which was detoxified by 0.125% glutaraldehyde. Now this procedure has become a routine antivenine-producing method by which snake bivalent neurotropic antivenine is produced. The stability test showed that Taiwan cobra toxoid kept at 37 degrees C for 40 days, the antigenicity increased by 24% and toxicity decreased by 10% as compared to the toxoid maintained at 4 degrees C.