The Duhring chamber. An improved technique for epicutaneous testing of irritant and allergic reactions.

For assessing skin reactions to irritants and allergens, chambers which confine the test substance to the site of application are much superior to conventional patch tests. Because the concentration and volume do not change appreciably, the method allows for quantification and yields more reproducible results. A new aluminum chamber has been designed which is more useful than its predecessor, the Finn chamber, mainly because of its increased capacity. Data are given to show that the intensity of irritant and allergic reactions is dependent on the quantities applied.