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THE INTERACTION OF DETERGENTS AND THE HUMAN SKIN 17 for the extension of the lesions. It appeared that a sequence could be given that was based on statistically significant differences {Table IX). The various clinical symptoms caused by the immersions are shown in Figs. 2-4. Some subjects showed a typical scaling of the finger webs, others a diffuse redness of the whole arm (Fig. 2) sharply demarcated by the margin of immersion. In some cases we saw a redness sharply limited to the flexure of the elbow (Fig. $), in others a typical craquel[ appeared (Fig. 4). The last symptom was typical for T 8. In 15 cases we were able to study the pathology. In several cases we found a more or less marked, predominantly lymphocytic infiltration of the corium {Figs. 5a and 5b). Only two cases showed marked parakeratosis, and the inflammation was not pronounced. It is hardly possible to evaluate the condition of the stratum corneum histopathologically in either paraffin or in cryostat slides. In a few cases we saw a swelling of the cells of the stratum granulosum, without being able to draw conclusions from this obser- vation. Summarizing the results of the immersion test and our earlier results, with reference only to the results for those detergents included in all tests, gives the following picture (Tables X and XI). Table X Comparison of the result of various tests for a number of detergents Immersion Permeation Extraction of test Freeing of Patch (surface SH-groups test F.C.- test involved) ! amino positive I acids material T1 10 26 7.15 6.1 47.8 0.38 T3 2 0 3.66 4.9 34.2 0.02 T 5 30 9 5.58 5.8 47.6 0.56 T 6 0 2 34.95 7.1 61.5 1.30 To 50 17 8.09 6.8 55.2 1.00 Mr. de Jonge, statistician of the Leiden Medical Faculty, advised us to evaluate our data by tabulating the rank orders, giving the following result: