18 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS EXPERIMENT IV--BASKETBALL This experiment was designed to evaluate the effects of perspiration on the HTC. Perspiration was elicited by practicing basketball for approximately three hours. The HTC was applied to the arms and backs of 20 membe•/s of a high school basketball team about two hours 'prior to a practice of about three hours' duration. The preweighed chambers were applied dry or moistened with 0.3 ml of aqueous red food coloring. All of the dry patches and half of the moistened patches were removed and weighed at the conclusion of practice. The other half were removed and weighed immediately after showering. The average sweat uptake by the dry chambers was 240 mg on the back and 185 mg on the arm. The wet chambers showed an average loss of 8 mg on the back and 31 mg on the arm prior to showering. After showering, the respective values showed an increase of 58 mg and 15 mg. These data are shown below in Table V. Table V Mean Weight Changes (mg) and Standard Deviation (SD) of HTC Unmoistened or Containing 0.3 ml of Aqueous Red Food Coloring After a Three Hour Basketball Practice (N = 20) Unmoistened Moistened (No Shower) Before Shower After Shower Back X 24O - 8 58 SD 91 47 36 Arm X 185 --31 15 SD 73 64 67 DISCUSSION The foregoing has demonstrated the occlusive value of the HTC. In addition to the prevention of water ingress or egress, this feature should prevent interaction between test materials and the tape. It should also permit precise determination of the quantity of test material absorbed by the skin over long periods, without loss of test material. The choice of adhesive tape is optional and is dependent in part on the purpose of the study. The chamber can be adapted to new types of adhesive tape as they become available. SUMMARY A new plastic chamber patch system has been evaluated experimentally for its occlusive properties. It has been demonstrated to minimize dilution of the test material by water during showering, swimming, or moderate exercise. No significant outward migration of the test material occurred during use as determined by a dye marker. For practical purposes this eliminates problems resulting from the interaction between samples and the adhesive tape. The occlusive properties are related to the chamber's design and the selection of the plastic from which the chamber is fabricated. The plastic is flexible, which enables it to follow the contours of the body, and is unaffected by most common solvents.

PATCH TEST SYTSEM 19 The HTC was worn without discomfort to the panelists, and no adverse reactions were seen in these limited studies. The occlusive properties of the HTC should make it broadly useful for predictive testing in humans or animals and also for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. REFERENCES (1) H. A. Shelanski, Experience with and consideration of the human patch test method,j r. $oc. Cosmet. Chem., 2, 324-331 (1951). (2) A.M. Kligman, The identification of contact allergens by human assay. I. A critique of standard methods, J. of Invest. Derm., 47, 369-374 (1966). (3) J. Hardy, Allergy, hypersensitivity and cosmetics,jr. of The Soc. of Cosmet. Chem. of Great Britain, 24, 423-468 (1973). (4) R. P. Giovacchini, Old and new issues in the safety evaluation of cosmetics and toiletries, CRC Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 1,361-378 (October 1972). (5) C. Benezra, Irritant and allergenic properties of chemically defined fragrance substances. Cosmet. Tech., 2, 20-26 (February 1980). (6) H. Rattrier, A device for "continuous" patch tests, Archives of Dermatology and Syphilology, 67,619-620 (1938). (7) B. T. Guild, Window patch test, Archives of Dermatology and Syphilology, 68, 807-810 (1939). (8) I. Rokstad, A new modification of the patch test (the chamber method), Archives of Dermatology and Syphilology, 69, 649-653 (1940). (9) J. B. Haeberlin, R. M. Oliver, and A. Rostenberg, Studies on the eczematous sensitization,jr. of Invest. Derm. 10, 27-30 (1948). (10) P.J. Frosch and A.M. Kligman, The chamber-scarification test for irritancy, Contact Derm., 2,314-324 (1976). (11) P.J. Frosch and A.M. Kligman, The Dubring Chamber, Contact Derre. 5, 73-81 (1979). (12) W. V. R. Shellow and M.J. Rapaport, Comparison testing of soap irritancy using aluminum chamber and standard patch methods, Contact Derm. 7, 77-79 (1981).