[2] It was named after its inventor, Béla Schick (1877–1967), a Hungarian-born American pediatrician.

A small amount (0.1 ml) of diluted (1/50 MLD) diphtheria toxin is injected intradermally into one arm of the person and a heat inactivated toxin on the other as a control.

If a person does not have enough antibodies to fight it off, the skin around the injection will become red and swollen, indicating a positive result.

If the person has an immunity, then little or no swelling and redness will occur, indicating a negative result.

Results can be interpreted as:[3] The test was created when immunizing agents were scarce and not very safe; however, as newer and safer toxoids became available, susceptibility tests were no longer required.