Iso-immunization in the Rabbit with Antibody-coated Erythrocytes

Abstract

WE have read Dr. Cohen and Dr. Allton's comments with interest, since their findings in rabbits are generally in agreement with ours in man. Though our results are not yet complete, it seems appropriate briefly to report them at this time; but we wish to point out that Dr. Cohen and Dr. Allton have misquoted us. We did not state that “the administration of Rh-positive (D) cells to volunteer recipients, followed shortly thereafter by anti-D … prevents Rh sensitization”, since at the time^1,2 the experiments had not provided the relevant data. All that we said was that in view of Stern's³ results and the degree of protection afforded against Rh sensitization by ABO incompatibility, it seemed likely that such a procedure would protect. It was precisely because of the uncertainty of the outcome that we used male volunteers in whom Rh sensitization is not inherently dangerous.