R. Brun

Mitteilungen – Communications Alcohol Contact Urticaria Syndrome (Immediate-Type Hypersensitivity)

A case of alcohol contact urticaria is described. The immediate reactions with most of the primary alcohols were positive. Passive transfer was achieved.

Nickel in food: The role of stainless‐steel utensils

Nickel may be found in prepared foods (tinned foods) at markedly higher concentrations than the safe threshold laid down for hypersensitive patients. Some foodstuffs cooked in stainless‐steel utensils attack the metal and thus contain much more nickel than when enamel or aluminum saucepans are used. Among the natural organic acids which may be responsible for dissolving stainless‐steel, oxalic acid is the most active at equivalent concentrations.

Oocyte maturation in vitro: Contribution of the oviduct to total maturation inXenopus laevis

Contact of progesterone matured oocytes ofXenopus laevis with the oviduct reduces the time necessary to attain cleavage capacity from 24 h to 3 h. Full maturity has been demonstrated by normal development of the matured eggs after fertilization.

Evolution des facteurs d’eczéma de contact dans une population

Comparative results between positive patch tests found during the periods 1968–1974 and 1975–1981 are presented. The number of sensitised patients to nickel, chromate and Peru balsam has significantly increased. On the other hand, the number of turpentine-oil-positive patch tests has strongly decreased. This mirrors the drop in the imported quantities of this product. A schema concerning factors influencing the apparent allergenicity is given.

Recurrent Benign Aphthous Stomatitis and Fluoride Allergy

Many years ago I consulted 2 patients suffering from recurrent aphthous ulceration to establish whether they had a toothpaste allergy. I thus proceeded to do many p-tests on the skin but without any positive results. However, replacement of the toothpaste with a simple soap quickly cured the ulcerations. A third case was referred to me with the same symptoms but in this case an unfortunate re-exposure caused a relapse of the ulcerations. At that time, it was unthinkable to speak of any kind of allergy in cases of aphthosis, and I forgot about these observations. I have been retired for a number of years, but 3 months ago, however, I was on a golf course when a competitor mentioned that she had been suffering from a painful aphthosis for many years and asked me how this condition could be ameliorated. I told her to replace her toothpaste with a simple soap. She seemed very skeptical at the time, but 10 days later she informed me that the ulcerations had disappeared. ‘Among the different specialists I consulted, why didn’t anybody tell me this before?’ Research on the Internet reveals that numerous authors are always uncertain about the etiology of aphthosis, whilst others are beginning to suggest a possible allergy. Finally, in a recent WHO monograph, we found that fluorides easily pass through the mouth’s mucous membrane but do not cross the skin barrier. This would explain the lack of response of ordinary p-tests. Anyway, in cases of benign aphthosis, replacing toothpaste with normal soap is not such a difficult test. Of course, not all benign recurrent aphthoses respond favorably to this test, but because of its simplicity, it would be unwise not to try it. In cases of fluoride intolerance it would also be important to eliminate, among other items, salts and beverages enriched with fluoride compounds from the family diet and pay more attention to fish and shrimps for example, which concentrate fluorides in their skin.

De la réaction mitotique de l'épiderme de la tétine de cobaye à la suite d'applications répétées de diverses substances.

(1) The majority of substances tested produced a weaker mitotic reaction of the epidermis of the guinea pig nipple after 3 applications (24 h intervals) of the same substance than after a single application. (2) This decrease in the ability of the epidermic cells to be divided has to be attributed, it seems, to a habit-forming processus and not to an exhaustion of the cells; indeed after two applications of geraniol, the application of a substance of different nature, Hormoestrol, produced in the nipple epidermis a mitotic flare up as intense as that obtained in the epidermis of a nipple not previously treated. (3) Aldehyde C9 alone, among the substances tested, does not produce a decrease of epidermic mitoses after three applications but induces cellular alterations.