Carolyn J. Willis

The effect of stannous fluoride and stannous chloride on inflammation

Abstract Scratches were made to the depth of the upper dermis on the abdomen of rabbits. The scratches were covered by patch tests for 18 hours with solutions of stannous fluoride or stannous chloride. Both these substances produced a destructive reaction with intraepidermal polymorphonuclear leukocyte pustules occurring on each side of the scratch. Stannous fluoride was destructive at lower concentrations than stannous chloride. When these substances were patch tested over nontraumatized tissue, no tissue damage occurred. It is suggested that stannous fluoride and stannous chloride may interfere with the enzymes of inflammation. Salts of fluoride, iodide, nickel, arsenic, and mercury are known occasionally to produce a pustular reaction when used to patch test humans.

The Effect of Arsenic on Inflammation

There is clinical and experimental evidence that an amount of arsenicals which will not produce lesions on normal skin will markedly increase the severity of a quantitated, induced, bacterial infection. It is also known that suppression of early inflammation increases the severity of bacterial infections. Art experimental model is presented in which arsenic is shown to prevent one type of early inflammation. It is proposed that arsenic damages enzymes of inflammation which are active before the cellular phase occurs.

The effect of tar on infection

Abstract Sites on the backs of adult white rabbits were covered with 5% crude coal tar ointment for 24 hours, and control sites were covered with the ointment base. The tar and control sites were each injected with a similar number of micrococci. The sites were then covered again with tar and control ointments. After an additional 24 hours, the size of the induration was measured. The average diameter of induration at the tar sites was 12.7 mm and at control sites 4.3 mm. Killed organisms produced only 1- to 2-mm papules at both tar and control sites.