An Intradermal Test for the Determination of Active Tuberculosis

¹ Director of Department of Oncology and Experimental Pathology, Temple University Medical School. Phila., Pa.
² Director of Tuberculosis, Brooklyn Hospital for Consumptives, Brooklyn, N. Y.
³ Attending Physician Jewish Hospital, Brooklyn, N. Y.
⁴ Assistant Allergist, Long Island College Hospital, Director of Allergy, Queens General Hospital, Brooklyn, N. Y.

The usefulness of this test is evident from the above description. First, because activity or non-activity of a case of tuberculosis can be determined. Second, because this reaction is not dependent on the antibody response of the patient for its manifestation, and hence will give a positive reaction in miliary tuberculosis and tuberculous meningitis, which usually give negative reactions with the older tests on account of the lack of immune bodies. Third, the fact that the reaction may be read in a few minutes makes it more applicable especially in group examinations. Fourth, there is no possibility of stirring up a latent infection as is sometimes the case with an antigen made from tubercle bacilli. A fifth advantage of the test is that it will give a negative reaction in a non-active case, in contradistinction to the older tests which usually continue to give positive reactions even when the patient is clinically well, after having been once infected.

Tests were performed on chest cases with the following results:

[See Table in the PDF File]

All these cases were checked by x-ray, sputum examination or guinea pig inoculation. In addition to tuberculosis of the chest the following conditions were found:

Negative reactions were found in the following types of cases:

[See Table in the PDF File]