The Probable Rôle of Histamine in Some Emotionally Precipitated Allergic Conditions *

Observers of allergic sensitivities mention or allude to the importance of the emotional status of the patient in effecting an increase of the sensitivity or even of precipitating the allergic syndrome without any apparent assistance. Whether the syndrome which occurs in response to a specific allergen and the one that follows emotional shiock are physiologically identical in their mode of development is not clear. A case has been observed by,the writer which suggests that histamine plays a rOle in emotionally precipitated conditions that resemble allergies. The patient is one in whom there exists a combination of specific sensitivities and sisceptibility to urticaria in response to emotional disturbance.