INSPIRED by the reports and teachings of Hansel and others in recent years, an ever-increasing number of otolaryngologists have incorporated into their practices the treatment of allergic diseases of the ears, nose, and throat. Many of these men have retained their original enthusiasm, but some have become dissatisfied with their results and have abandoned allergic therapy entirely. Undoubtedly, one important reason for this unfortunate development was a failure to realize that good allergic management demands a consideration of the patient as a whole. Another major reason may be that, in their preoccupation with the antigen-antibody relationship, they failed to take into consideration some of the other factors which may greatly influence or modify the allergic reaction. Therefore, it seemed to us that a discussion of the concept of the "allergic load" might be of value at this time. While this concept may not satisfy all scientific requirements, it will provide