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Suppression of cellular immunity during primary and secondary infection may explain, in part, the unusual clinical evolution of syphilis. We have previously shown that lymphocytes from normal subjects undergo blastic transformation when exposed in vitro to Treponema refringens. This response was suppressed in patients with syphilis. the suppression being unrelated to serum factors. In the present paper we studied lymphocyte response in vitro to T. refringens, T. reiter , and T. pallidum as well as to monilia and trychophytins. The response to these antigens was suppressed in patients with syphilis although the response to phytohemagglutinin. pokeweed mitogen, and streptolysin was normal. These data support the hypothesis that human infection with T. pallidum is followed by a complex interaction between cellular and humoral immunity, the former being suppressed in primary and secondary stages.

There is general recognition that comparatively "large" doses of most heavy metals in animals cause acute physiologic (toxic) effects having various overt clinical manifestations. Likewise, individuals nutritionally deprived of certain heavy metals experience metabolic disorders of varying degrees ( 1-1 6).Investigators (1 7-25) have reported physiological effects of acute and chronic cadmium (Cd) poisoning, studying humans mostly in specific occupational groups. s o u of these effects are hyl a n i E i m i 2 m e n a l d a q and prateinuria. The latter syl-aptom i s m extremely important m P t M i c c 0 n s y . e~~ of chronic, low-level Cd2+ pniqniq (7f;-38& especially t m k c -d tho _ -vidual contact &h heavy -2ntc in water, air, and certain foods. Heavy metal contact no I n n , g g s to be a D roblem for people in occupational g roum onlv but foreveryone in general.It has been hypothesized (29-30) that Cd proteinuria is primarily due to an impaired tubular reabsorption of the serum proteins. Vigliani et al. ( 3 1 ) demonstrated 550-900 mg . .. .

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