Atopic skin test re-evaluated. IX. Identity of pollen extracts of four grass species.

With a perfected technique of skin testing it was impossible to demonstrate any significant difference in skin reactivity to pollen extracts deriving from four grass species. When pollen allergen from three grass species were used, The RAST-test results did not differ from duplicate values either.

Allergen community in pollen from certain tree species.

In a group of patients atopic to tree pollen the authors found that the skin reactions to six tree-pollen extracts in three ten-fold dilutions had roughly the same correlation coefficient as those for two identical extracts (0.74) e.g.

Atopic skin test re-evaluated. X. Comparison of a perfected technique of intracutaneous skin testing and the prick test performed with a modified Morrow Brown Needle.

With a modified Morrow Brown needle it proved possible to obtain duplicate skin-test values with almost the same reliability as those obtained with the intracutaneous method described in one of the preceding papers of this series. The results of the present study also showed that 50% glycerin has a distinct inhibitory effect when added to the extracts, whereas 0.0005% Tween 80 produces a distinct enhancement of the skin reaction.

The use of stereoisomers in patch testing.

A patient is described with a clinical picture resembling that of relapsing scarlatina. The complaints were found to be based on two types of delayed-type allergy: one to the equatorially bound hydroxyl grouip at the 6 position of the basic phenanthrene structure as occurs in morphine and codeine, and the other to the D(-)-alpha-position of the amino group as occurs in some penicillin derivatives.