Food Allergy

Food allergy as a frequent cause of symptoms in adults as in children should receive greater recognition. It has been emphasized by Schloss¹as a frequent cause of disturbances in childhood. In adults, however, outside of the articles of Duke,²food allergy has received little consideration. It is felt that with the method of analysis of the patient's history, the interpretation of the skin tests and the use of "elimination diets" advocated and outlined in this paper, many of the manifestations of food allergy described here will be discovered, the causative foods determined, and the symptoms relieved. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS The following is a summary of the points to be emphasized in this article: Food sensitization is more common in adult life as well as in childhood than is generally appreciated. A positive history of allergy in the patient's family or personal history should denote the possibility that allergy