Why the failures in the treatment of allergy

Summary

• 1. Allergy can only be detected and treated properly by those who have had careful training and long experience in this work ; who are skilled in interpreting the varied reactions given by different types of skin, and who have the patience to give each case the benefit of all possible sensitizing proteins (I regularly use 240 different test substances).

• 2. Lack of cooperation on the patient’s part, in cases where tests are correctly made and interpreted, is the cause of failure in treatment. Referring physicians often modify or nullify the allergist’s directions when patients are returned to them ; outside physicians frequently condemn all testing and dieting for protein sensitization, thus undermining the general public’s confidence.

• 3. Allergy is an important subdivision of internal medicine, and its detection and treatment should receive far wider consideration and practice. The results obtained by skilled allergists with cooperative patients are highly gratifying.