Endocrine Management of Selected Cases of Allergy Based on Enzymatic Mechanism of Sensitization

The discrepancies in the rationale of the antigen-antibody conjugation being the basic mechanism of allergy make an understanding of the problem of allergy more difficult; the contradictory findings which are often encountered in the antigen-antibody reaction make this theory unacceptable. Nonetheless, the majority of allergists still accept it as a working theory of the allergic reactions. It will be pertinent to mention a few of the contradictions: A constant and predictable anaphylactic response to the first injection of certain antigens (e.g., peptone shock in dogs,76,77or intravenous injection of human γ-globulins into humans47) makes the concept of antigen-antibody interaction a logical impossibility because specific antibodies are not present at this stage. The presence of allergic diseases in persons with agammaglobulinemia who are unable to manufacture antibodies has been observed repeatedly.52,53,75,153 Allergic reactions occur so commonly that they might be looked upon as physiopathologic responses which exist in