Studies in Specific Hypersensitiveness

Abstract

Summary Serum disease differs from other forms of human hypersensitiveness in the almost constant characteristic of the incubation period and in its high percentage incidence. Dermatitis venenata differs from the other forms of human hypersensitiveness in which the skin is affected in the constant and characteristic nature of the lesion. Statistical study and some experiments reveal the following differences in the age incidence of the “natural” allergies, serum disease and dermatitis venenata: The age incidence of the “natural” allergies increases rapidly in the early age periods but probably does not greatly exceed 10 per cent in any period. The age incidence of dermatitis venenata increases greatly from childhood to adult life and reaches a high percentage (probably about 90 per cent). The age incidence of serum disease seems not to change during life.