Inhalation and Skin Tests with Extracts of Hay and Fungi in Patients with Farmer's Lung

Farmer's lung is a specific respiratory illness which results from the inhalation of mouldy hay, grain, straw, or other similar vegetable matter. Hay becomes mouldy if it is harvested and stored wet. Fungi and bacteria multiply in it, fermentation occurs, and heat is produced. When dry, the mouldy hay is partly converted to a fine dust. The illness was described by Campbell in 1932 and later by Fawcitt (1936a and b, 1938a and b), Fuller (1953), Studdert (1953 It is fairly common in Britain (Staines and Forman, 1961).