Fall in Rectal Temperature as an Indication of Anaphylactic Shock in the Mouse

Summary A fall in rectal temperature regularly accompanies anaphylactic shock produced by the intraperitoneal injection of horse serum into horse serum-sensitized mice. The dose of horse serum which lowered the temperature of sensitized mice did not cause a drop in the temperature of non-sensitized control animals. Much larger doses of horse serum also had little effect on the rectal temperature of non-sensitized mice. The advantages to be derived from the use of thermal measurements in anaphylaxis are discussed.