The Effects of Formaldehyde on Smooth Muscle Contraction in Anaphylaxis: Studies in Bacterial Metabolism LXXXIV

The observations presented herewith seem to demonstrate three distinct, but related facts : formaldehyde, in suitable, small concentrations prevents a sensitized smooth muscle from contracting on contact with its homologous antigen ; formaldehyde, in suitable, small concentrations relaxes anaphylactic contractions induced in sensitized smooth muscle ; and, a strip of sensitized muscle exposed under proper conditions to formaldehyde and then to the homologous antigen, will not respond with a contraction on subsequent contact with the homologous antigen. This would seem to indicate that the muscle has been desensitized.