food sensitization in children and had prepared an egg allergen, ovo mucoid, for use in testing the skin for sensitivity to that substance. With Dr. Albert By-field, Cowie immediately began work with this substance and carried on with all allergens as they became obtainable on the market. Up to this time the allergic therapy and testing had been limited to the use of pollen and horse serum antigens and eliminations. Hay fever had been treated by the use of commercial pollen extracts for some years.
General interest in sensitization developed rapidly because of the ease with which testing materials could be obtained and testing could be carried out by the simple scratch method. In 1921-22 John P. Parsons ('14, '19m) became interested in this work. Appreciation of his quick understanding, versatility, and dependability resulted in a happy association continuing many years. Because of rapidly developing enthusiasm concerning allergy at that time it was very necessary to make conservatism the watchword. The examinations soon became time-consuming, and the teaching and administrative duties were already very heavy. Extra help became necessary. In 1924 Buenaventura Jiménez ('05m, M.S.P.H. '27) applied for graduate work. He became interested in the sensitization clinic, then carried on in the basement of the Contagious Hospital. Cowie assigned "Studies on Allergy" to him as the subject of his thesis. Dr. Jiménez soon became proficient in the technique of testing and in following and recording the clinical course of the increasing numbers of patients sent to the clinic for examination and advice. To him more than to anyone else is due the development of the large clientele that finally came to the clinic. His enthusiasm, devotion, honesty, and personal appeal were all that was necessary. The daily attendance at the clinic became so large that a few years later it was necessary to work out a plan to decrease it and yet at the same time to increase the number of new patients. This was accomplished by devising treatment schedules, diagrams, and instruction sheets so that the bulk of the treatments could be turned over to the referring physician, with whom the staff co-operates in every way possible. In order to compass the work two more assistants were necessary.
Clinic classes. — In 1920 a hay fever and asthma class was organized to bring the patients together to be instructed as a group and to ask questions and relate experiences. In this way they learned much from each other and gained a better idea of what the staff was trying to do for them. Diabetes, infant feeding, and cardiac classes were conducted in the same way.
Work in allergy had its beginnings in 1912, as publications from the department attest; it passed through the first few years of general interest and the succeeding years of doubt and ridicule; it now stands as one of the most important special divisions of medicine in all medical schools and in medical practice. There has never been a pause or diminution in the work of this clinic since its beginning. The clinic of the department continued to be known as the sensitization clinic; the one in the Department of Internal Medicine is the allergy service, which has been under the competent directorship of Dr. John Sheldon. Many clinical and scientific reports were published from the sensitization clinic. All of this work is now carried on in the allergy service.
Teaching. — In the early days of the department teaching material was so meager and the demand for it was so great that removal to Detroit seemed to be the only answer. The clinical material has now become so rich as to
