The applicability of anaphylactic tests in studies of antigen mixtures. I. The sensitivity of the tests.

The sensitivity of two anaphylactic tests, the Dale—Schultz reaction and the measurement of histamine released from chopped lung, have been investigated and compared in model systems. Both tests proved to be highly sensitive in animals sensitized to a single antigen, the Dale—Schultz test being more sensitive on occasion, but less consistent than histamine-release from the lung. In general, the sensitivity to a particular antigen was decreased if more than one antigen was used for sensitization.