Ophthalmic Test for Horse Serum Sensitivity Contrasted with the Intradermal

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Before injecting antitoxin, it is important to ascertain the sensitivity of the patient to horse serum, so that any possible reaction may be prepared for and alleviated. It is desirable that the test given be both prompt and certain in its action. To determine the relative value of the ophthalmic as compared with the intradermal sensitivity test, a series of 353 patients was tested with normal horse serum, at the Willard Parker Hospital, New York City. The series consisted of 247 diphtheria and 106 scarlet fever patients. Both tests were performed on each patient twenty minutes before administration of antitoxin, and readings were taken ten to twenty minutes and twenty-four hours after test. Normal horse serum was used in different dilutions, namely: 1:10, 1:2, 1:1 with normal saline solution serving as the diluent, and finally straight, undiluted horse serum was employed.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: