ALLERGIC CONTACT SENSITIZATION TO THE TOLUIC ACIDS.

Para-toluic acid (1:4 methylbenzoic acid) and ortho-toluic acid were found to be potent allergic sensitizers when applied to human skin. Cross-sensitivity was found between all three isomers, p-toluic, m-toluic, and o-toluic acids. It is suggested that this cross-sensitivity is explicable in terms of carrier protein specificity rather than by the presence of a common chemical sequence in the hapten or by conversion of the cross-reactants to an identical hapten. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]