A method to assess the irritancy of chemicals on human skin that is based on measurements of skin (water) vapor loss (SVL) is presented. The SVL measurements were performed with the Servo Med Evaporimeter in a group of 27 healthy volunteers. Four surfactants, distilled water, and NaCl 0.9% in distilled water were assayed. For the exposures a chamber technique was used. Sodium lauryl sulfate and cocobetaine most markedly influenced the loss of water through the skin. Polysorbate-60 and sodium laurate had less effect on SVL. The mean difference between the test substances were found statistically significant, except for the mean difference between sodium laurate and polysorbate-60 (p greater than 0.1) and between polysorbate-60 and distilled water (p greater than 0.05). The reactions of the tested subjects to the surfactants suggest that each individual has his own pattern of susceptibility to these substances. The mean values of the SVL measurements were compared with the macroscopically perceptible morphologic changes of the exposed test sites. The results of the SVL measurements. The correlation coefficient between the mean values of both methods was found to be high (r = 0.98).

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A method is described for the quantification of the DNCB sensitization‐test. Sensitization was performed by epicutaneous application of 2 mg of the substance. Fourteen days later, challenges were performed by patch testing with 30, 10, and 3 μg of DNCB in acetone. In this way erroneous readings (by toxic skin responses) may be avoided. The reactions were graded according to common practice in clinical allergology (1–4+). The sum of the reactions on the three concentrations was taken as a measure of skin reactivity (designated as DNCB‐score). Three groups of people were assayed. Of 48 controls, all but 1 (98%) showed positive reactions. The average DNCB‐scores of the melanoma and Hodgkin's patients were significantly lower than the controls'. Of 66 patients with malignant melanoma (45 of them had clinically localized tumors), only 76% developed a contact allergic reaction. Of 8 patients with malignant Hodgkin's disease, 2 could be sensitized. Further analysis revealed that in both the control and the melanoma group, DNCB‐reactivity decreases with age. To ascertain the chance of cross‐sensitization, tests were done with chemically‐related components. Two out of 49 persons with a contact hypersensitivity to DNCB developed positive tests to related chemicals, which indicates that cross‐sensitization is a risk of the DNCB‐test.

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