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RAVAUT'S "AUTOHEMATOTHERAPY" (13H2) MARKS TRUE BIRTH OF
AUTOHEMOTHERAPY
Notwithstanding the prior works of Elfstrom in 1898, Jez in
1901 and Bier in 1905, the main body of literature on the subject
of the history of "autohemotherapy" generally refers to a 1913
article by Ravaut [13H2] as initiator of the field of
autohemotherapy. Ironically, Ravaut's title referred not to
autohemotherapy, but rather to "autohematotherapy".
Immediately following Spiethoff's initial discussion of the use
of "eigenserum" or autoserum, Ravaut reported on the use of a
simplified procedure comprised of immediate reinjection of whole
blood. Spiethoff echoed with reference to both autoblood and
autoserum therapy, and a distinct body of literature blossomed up
through the 1920s and 1930s, generally acknowledging the
"founding" role of Ravaut, which literature constitutes the heart
of the AUTOMED.
AUTOHEMOTHERAPY: HERPES, TOXIC DERMATOSES OF PREGNANCY - 13H2
In his "classic" 1913 article, Ravaut refers to Mayer and
Linser, 1910, who reported successful treatment of herpes
gestations by injections of a serum from the blood of a pregnant
woman, and to reports by them and several others of similar
treatment of "toxic dermatoses" of pregnancy, including
urticaria, pemphigus, dermatitis herpiformis, strophulus,
prurigo, eczema and pruritisand various hemorrhagic diseases of
the skin; Spiethoff, who was apparently the first in the series
of investigators cited by Ravaut to use the serum obtained from
the patient himself (autogenous), and who also in certain cases
continued to advocate bloodletting; Hueck on Duhring's disease,
psoriasis, eczema, urticaria and pruritis. [13H2; see also Jones
and Alden, 37B3; Wein, 25E7]
Ravaut refers to his "more simple" method of reinjection as
"autoh‚matoth‚rapie", and pointed out that there was less risk of
infection than might be encountered as a result of manipulation
of autogenous serum, or due to someone else's infected blood.
Ravaut concluded that it was more useful to inject the total
blood to insure the inclusion of all blood elements that might
play a useful role.
Ravaut emphasized that it seemed preferable to inject the total
blood prior to allowing it to coagulate so that the substances or
microbial bodies will, when resorbed by the organism, provoke a
useful reaction. Ravaut reported on the treatment of 3 acne, 3
psoriasis and seven other various skin disease cases.
AUTOHEMOTHERAPY COMPELS PRODUCTION OF ANTIBODY - 13H2
Ravaut suggested that the reabsorption of blood injected under
the skin compels the organism to produce a greater quantity of
antibodies.