[Results of hardening in children with bronchial asthma]

In 40 girls between 10 and 16 years, 28 of them asthmatics, spirometry and body plethysmography was carried out before and after an air bath from the end of december at outside temperatures of -10 degrees C up to april at temperatures of +10 degrees C. In 50% of the asthmatic girls a bronchospasm occurred, which depended nearly linearly (r = 0.68) from the outside temperature. After the usual air bath at the beach in bathing suits in three quarters of these girls a regression of the bronchospasm nearly or completely to the initial values was observed. This change is interpreted as a sympathicotonic stimulation by the cutaneous system with bronchospasmolytic effect.