PREVENTION OF DERMATITIS VENENATA DUE TO POISON IVY IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Every summer for the past several years, during the residence of one of us (M. M.) at the New Jersey State Home for Boys, a large group of the boys has contracted dermatitis venenata after contact with poison ivy (Rhus toxicodendron). Because of the abundance of the plant and the controlled environment, we thought it ideal to make a practical test of the efficacy of poison ivy extract for purposes of immunization. The product used was an alcoholic extract (1:50) of the poison ivy plant made according to the method of Spain and Cooke.¹ PATCH TESTS In order to select a group of subjects for study, patch tests were performed on, and histories were obtained from, 292 white boys, almost all of whom were between 12 and 16 years of age. Fourteen were between 8 and 11, and sixteen were between 17 and 18. One hundred boys were tested