After rapid gelatin infusion in many cases a release of relatively small amounts of histamine was observed. Clinical symptoms occured in 5 cases in correspondence to the increased histamine levels, but were relatively harmless. The application of dextran 60 induced anaphylactoid reactions in 2 persons, with death in one case. Plasma histamine level were normal in both cases. Histamine release probably is not the cause of dextrn induced anaphylactoid reactions.