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The article presents information on evaluation of patch test reactions by evaporimetry and colorimetry. For calorimetry as well as for evaporimetry, extreme individual variability in the cutaneous response, was found. This does not allow the use in clinical practice of either method when only 1 measurement is performed at a particular time, for example at 2 or at 3 days. Only double measurement, for example after 2 and 3 days, following the time course of individual values, can give further information about specific reactions. With this proviso, these results justify the utilization of such methods in diagnostic patch tests and, above all, in the evaluation, in experimental contact dermatitis, of reactions provoked by new haptens, concentrations and vehicles.

The quantity of water lost by passive diffusion through the stratum corneum can be determined with an evaporimeter. A change in transepidermal water loss (TEWL) has been encountered in various types or skin damage, including the subclinical. Some authors have claimed that a high basal TEWL value can predict the risk of developing irritant contact dermatitis. Healthy subjects, free from past or present skin disease, voluntary and informed numbered 40. The eczematous subjects numbered 51, 12 of whom had irritant contact dermatitis, occupational in 1 case and non-occupational in 11 cases.

A 30-year-old housewife, with no personal history of atopy, had a grandmother who had died from an anaphylactic reaction to the ingestion of vegetables. Intradermal testing gave positive results to allergen extracts of certain vegetables: chick-pea, pea, soya bean and peanut. She reported two episode of acute urticaria with angioedema after the ingestion, respectively, of cooked chick peas and of a slice of chick-pea cake. Raw, soaked and chick-peas were used in order to carry out Skin Applied Food Test.

This article presents an investigation of allergic contact dermatitis in caterers. A report of investigation in 72 caterers during 1987-1991 has been presented. All caterers were patch tested with the GIRDCA standard series plus additional occupational allergens. 14 out of 72 caterers showed the symptoms of occupational allergic contact dermatitis. Positive tests were shown by 6 cooks which were sensitized to balsam of Peru. Research showed that cooks, pastry cooks and kitchen attendants are the catering occupations that have the highest risk of contact dermatitis.

A 49-year-old female pastry cook, with a history of vernal rhinoconjunctivitis, reported recurrent episodes of dermatitis on the face when she cooked sweet pastries. She reported intense itching. She didn't use makeup on her face, with the occasional exception of lipstick and had not used any treatment for the dermatitis. Patch tests showed her sensitive to balsam of peru. Additional patch tests showed allergy to butylated hydroxyanisole. With just a few days off work, the patient showed complete clinical recovery without any treatment. On return to work, she was assigned to baking and during that time she felt itching on the face followed by erythema and edema.