Experiments with histaminase

110

THE

JOURNAL

OF

ALLERGY

and potency of pollen are the blue grasses (Pea, annua, Pea. pvatensis, Poa csompressa, and Poa trivialis), orchard grass (Dactylis glom~erda) , timothy (Phleum pmten+se) and perennial rye (Loltiem perenme) . English plantain (Planta,go Zanceolata) pollinates through the grass season until late fall and is an important offender, as is also velvet grass (Hotcw Zcmatw). The weed pollens are of minor importance; those weeds which grow in the vicinity are not abundant or widely distributed, and their pollens rarely give reactions. However lamb ‘s-quarter (Chenopol&m album), pigmeed (Amara’nXhu,s retrofEe%us), and mugwort give strong reactions at times and can be serious’ offenders. The ferns shed an abundance of pollen, but the author states he has never seen a true case of fern spore hay fever. Mold spore counts are small; those identified were species of AIter,aa&c, Hosrmsodedrzcm, Asperggillus, Cepha.lospo~rium, Mucol; ilfordilia, PenbiZlti~m, Bhizopus, Priohodemna, and Fmariocon,.

concentration

Hay

Fever: The Value of Daily Atmospheric Spores in Diagnosis and Treatment. Hansel, 1940.

Counts F, K.:

of Polien Grains J. Missouri M.

and Mold A. 37: 241,

Hansel discusses the meteorologic variations which influence the daily variations in the concentration of pollen in the air, and the importance of daily determinations of pollen grains and mold spores in the diagnosis and treatment of hay fever. Graphs showing the amount of tree, grass, and ragweed pollen in the air during the 1939 season in St. Louis are presented. AZterna.ria spores were found to constitute 34 per cent, Ho~mode&r?~m spores, 24 per cent, Helvninihlosporium spores, 3 per cent, and rusts an,d smuts, 39 per cent, of the spores of fungi which could be identified on the slides. Since many ragweed patients are also sensitive to molds, the author has obtained much more satisfactory results when he has treated these patients with extracts of molds, in addition to the regu1a.r ragweed extracts. Food sensitivities also must be watched for during the hay fever season, and food avoidance practiced. Garlic: port.

An Occupational Henson, G. E.:

Factor in the J. Florida M.

Etiology A. 27:

of 80,

Bronchial 1940.

Asthma.

Case

Re-

A case is reported of a young male with ragweed hay fever who developed a return of hay fever symptoms late in September, 1938. The symptoms continued, and finally asthma appeared, attacks of which occurred every day and interfered Reactions upon retesting were negative to all the proteins with work and sleep. except garlic and ragweed pollen. The patient worked in a sausage factory where pow,dered garlic was used profusely. The kernel of garlic was substituted for the Within two days he became entirely free of asthma, and this powdered form. cessation of symptoms has lasted now for more than seventeen months.

Dermatology UNDEB

THE DIRECTION

OF MARION

JOSEPH

Experiments

With

Histaminase.

GOODMAX,

Simon,

SULZBERGER, M.D.,

F. A.:

M.D.,

NEW

YORK,

AND

BOSTON

J. Invest.

Dermat.

3: 299,

1940.

By injecting histaminase solution intradermally in five locations in a normal person, and following it with histamine immediately, five minutes later, one hour later, and twenty-four hours later (the fifth site being a control), it was demonstrated that histaminase was not capable of abolishing the action of histamine under these circumstances. The reverse of this experiment demonstrated that the

SELECTED

111

ABSTRSCTS

iqjection Likewise

of histaminase into a histamine wheal would not abolish the reaction. it was found that histaminase was not capable of destroying the “Hsu-bstance” of hay fever. Moreover, the administration of histaminase for a week was found to have no effect upon the nasal symptoms following an experimental exposure of a sensitive person to ragweed pollen. Also, no effect of histaminase could be demonstrated on the wheals of a patient with dermographism.

in Poison Ivy Sensitivity. Effects of Specific Injections on the Level of Sensitivity to Quantitative Patch Tests and on Clinical Sensitivity. Green-

Experiments berg,

S., and

Mallozzi,

E. D.:

Arch.

Dermat.

& Syph.

42:

290,

1940.

This paper reports the results of studies of more than 300 adult men engaged in outdoor work, mostly in areas where there was a moderately heavy growth of poison ivy. A group of 278 men was tested with serial dilutions of the extract (from full strength to l:lOO,OOO). Of those tested, 159 had no reactions whatsoever. The remaining 119, who showed reactions, were divided into two groups. The first group was given two intramuscular injections of the poison ivy extract (seventy-seven persons). The second group was given injections of the vehicle of the extract (forty-two persons). Six weeks after the injections, the 159 men were retested with quantitative serial dilutions of the extract as in the first set of tests. No reduction of sensitivity could be demonstrated in that group which received the specific injections. There was considerable fluctuation of the degree of sensitivity in both groups. Poison injections injections.

ivy of

dermatitis developed in 27 per cent of the group which extract and in 36 per cent of the group which received

A :Histochemical Study of Neurodermatitis. tion and Spectrographic Analysis. Engman, Dermat.

& Syph.

42:

109,

Preliminary

Report:

M. F., and

received the the control

Microincinera-

MacCardle,

R. C.:

Arch.

1940.

:By the methods mentioned in the title the authors believe that they have onstrated a general change in the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis. most marked element of change is a decrease in magnesium content.

demThe

These conclusions persons with normal twenty-four patients

from from

Relapsing W.,

and

Early

are skin, with

Acute

Canizares,

0.:

based on a study of sixty-three and of biopsies of normal and atopic dermatitis.

Arsenical Arch.

Erythema: Dermat.

& Syph.

Report 42:

biopsy diseased

specimens skin taken

of Two Cases.

Thomas,

E.

30,194O.

The early, acute, arsenical erythemas usually do not recur if an arsenical is administered after recovery. The authors have reported two exceptional cases in which there were recurrences. In one instance there were flares of the eruption after each of several trial injections of mapharsen, given over a period of several months. Eventually, however, this patient tolerated mapharsen once’more. The second patient had one recurrence of the eruption. Subsequently the drug which originally caused the eruption was well tolerated.

Exfoliative Mycosis

Dermatitis Pungoides.

Due to Naphthalene. Fanburg, S. J.: Arch.

Report Dermat.

of an Eruption $ Syph.

The patient reported on presented the picture described Garbe (“Distinctive Exudative Discoid and Lichenoid Chronic by ‘Cannon (‘ ‘ Allergic Dermatitis Simulating Lymphoblastoma

42:

Resembling 53, 1940.

by Sulzberger and Dermatosis”) and ’ ‘). Recurrence