The effect of staphylocoagulase in the mammary gland of the mouse.

Purified coagulase from a strain of S. aureus was inoculated into the mammary glands of mice which were examined at 4-hourly intervals over 28 h. Coagulase induced a neutrophil response at 4 h which was sustained throughout the experiment, and was accompanied by hyperplasia of the alveolar epithelium. There was no evidence of intravascular clotting. The response of the gland to coagulase was compared with the response following inoculation of 3 different strains of viable staphylococci.