We have attempted to reproduce the findings of Benveniste and co-worke
rs, who reported in 1988 that degranulation of human basophil leukocyt
es is triggered by very dilute (10(2)-10(120)) antiserum against IgE.
The results were contrary to conventional scientific theory and were n
ot satisfactorily explained. Following as closely as possible the meth
ods of the original study, we can find no evidence for any periodic or
polynomial change of degranulation as a function of anti-IgE dilution
. Our results contain a source of variation for which we cannot accoun
t, but no aspect of the data is consistent with the previously publish
ed claims.