Competition between skin-sensitizing chemicals in the mouse

The skin contact sensitivity responses to picryl chloride in CBA mice can be reduced by prior sensitization with oxazolone. Initial experiments showed this reduction to be significant when the interval between skin paintings was 7 days. In further experiments to study the time course of this effect, the depression was found to be maximal when the interval between skin paintings was between 3 and 7 days. Prior painting with a non-immunogenic chemical irritant, oil of turpentine, did not depress responses to picryl chloride. The relation of this phenomenon to antigenic competition in antibody production is discussed.