neutralisation test

neutralisation test

Pseudomedicine
A test of uncertain validity used by clinical ecologists (practitioners of so-called environmental medicine) to identify various conditions, in particular, environmental disease. The neutralisation test consists of either subcutaneous injection or sublingual placement of the allegedly offending substances (e.g., formaldehye, toluene), and evaluating reactions thereto; the substances are then “neutralised” with lower doses of the same substances. Some clinical ecologists diagnose illness and identify noxious substances by crystals, pendulums, galvanometers, and other devices of questionable diagnostic efficacy.