THE EVALUATION OF SERODIAGNOSTIC TESTS FOR SYPHILIS IN THE UNITED STATES

Abstract

The development of a method for the evaluation of serodiagnostic tests for syphilis in the United States has recently been completed by a committee whose membership consists of two clinical pathologists appointed by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, two syphilologists, and two officers of the United States Public Health Service. It has been the primary aim of this committee to be guided as far as possible by the most frequently employed, most practical, but also the most reliable, practices. Each step in the evaluation plan has been carefully considered with the idea of duplicating the actual procedure that occurs when the physician in private practice collects his specimens of blood and forwards them to a serologic laboratory for examination. It is believed to be the peculiar responsibility of serologists interested in the diagnosis of syphilis to develop thoroughly practical tests. They should be efficient from a diagnostic stand-point and