Skin Sensitization to a Simple Compound by Injections of Conjugates

In view of a recent paper 1 touching upon the subject, we wish to make a preliminary communication of a study under way for some time on the possibility of producing in animals skin sensitivity to drugs by immunizing with conjugates. We have in fact been able to render guinea pigs sensitive to superficial application of picryl chloride by intraperitoneal injections of a conjugate resulting from the treatment of guinea pig erythrocyte stromata with picryl chloride in alkaline solution, killed tubercle bacilli as in previous work having been injected beforehand.

Since even minute quantities of the simple substance can sensitize under certain conditions and must be avoided, the chief concern in these experiments was to guard against the inclusion of unchanged picry! chloride in the injection material. This was carried out by adding an excess of glycine which removed any possible remainder of the substance through chemical combination, and by washing with aqueous alcohol.

The large majority of animals treated in this way have shown upon subsequent testing with the simple substance typical reactions of the contact dermatitis type.