Tuberculin sensitivity of tuberculous patients.

Abstract

The present paper gives information about one important feature of tuberculosis--the intensity of tuberculin allergy of persons hospitalized for the disease in four countries: Denmark Egypt India and the United States of America. The unique feature of the study is that a uniform procedure was used for testing all patients. The most important finding is that almost all patients suffering from tuberculosis reacted to a weak dose of tuberculin and that the intensity of their tuberculin allergy was strikingly alike in each of the four countries. The results suggest that regardless of race place of residence and the multitude of other factors which make one group of patients differ from another the allergic response of people who have clinical tuberculosis may be very much the same everywhere. (excerpt)