The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-03
THE MYSTERY OF ALLERGY

THE MYSTERY OF ALLERGY
 Asthma, hay fever, hives, angio- neurotic ederna (giant hives), mir grain (periodic sick headaches), or dinary neuralgia headaches, hyper esthetic rhinitis or temperamental coryza, eczema, paroxysmal rhinor- rhea, vasomotor rhinitis, atopic dis temper and perennial sudden all legged head-colds that seldom have more than a few hours duration, are all manifestations, at least in many cases, of allergy. Recently Drs. s. H. Watson and c. s. Kibler of Tucson reported q. A. M. A. 2, 30, '38) that more than 90 per cent of bronchiectasis cases coming under their observation are allergic in character, and that diagnosis and treatment of bronchiectasis from the allergic standpoint has given much better results than other treatment. The commonest sensitiz- ations, they find, are to feathers, pollens, orriS root, house dust, wool, and comparatively few bronchietasis patients present sensitivity to foods.
 Patients who have fallen into the hands of certain latterday special ists who make skin tests for sen- situation to this or that sometimes suspect the whole business is rac- ket, and sometimes they're right. One such trick specialist soaked his victim $25 for a dozen skin scratches once a week, until the victim tired of the game and quit, the five dozen skin scratches having set him back $125 and told him nothing he did not already know.
 When such trick specialists begin to classify the reactions to the skin tests as T plus," g plus," '3 plus" and so on, it is a fairly certain sign they will take the victim deep into the woods and lose him.
 A skin test is an interesting phe- nomenon, sometimes even revealing, occasionally actually helpful, but when these dilettant specialists in allergy undertake to give you the works, test you with a hundred or more homeopathic extracts, the gen. eral result is likely to be flop.
 A skin scratch test is simple test in any case, and if 1t seems halfway likely to give any helpful information any doctor can make the test. There is as much need for a specialist" for such investigation or treatment as there is for spe- cialist on diseases of the left ear. The homeopathic extracts used for making the tests are nominal in cost (why should 8 trace of feather, wheat, egg white or horse hair be expensive?) and your family doctor can perform the test and interpret the reaction as well as any other.
 have suggested here before, and new repeat the suggestion, that deficiency in the daily intake or de- f1ciency in the body's capacity to assimilate and utilize and retain calcium and phosphorus, seems to have good deal to do with allergy or sensitivity in any case.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Racketeering i'm Sale of Blood Have been professional blood don- or for ten years. Donor agencies de- cline to list donors who are regis tered with other agencies. So donor gies 800 c. c. of blood through one agency, which leaves his hemoglobin at 85 per cnet. A week later, under another name he get sa call from another agency, gives $50 to 800 c. c. of blood-unknown to doctor, in emergency, the donors hemoglobin is about 50 per cent. Results, not so good for the patient. But fel-