The Omaha guide., 1947-01-04
ONE Man lTEAT.


Very fe eo under-tard tins
problem o- lcr0 e5, ever -u-h
it seems io- he a7hionabla 10 save
one OF moe. 7 often fird it diff
cult to explain 10 a patient that
sometime W does y halr ~
most people oan ve-y nd setting
to him. Even III the medical pro-
fession, allergy is known as a
strange condition.
Every animal recognizes the
harmful effect of fire and learns
M avoid purning objects early in
LIE. Civilized people also have
learned about the microsco III ELL
emies called germs and how to-
avoid them. The simple fact that
a substance which is harmless to
the majority of people could cause
serious illness in a susceptible few
wa not seriously studied until re.
cent years. However. it has long
been known that many persons
are peculiar in that they are
made i'll by contact with things
which do not affect others. We
have all heard the old saying. One
mans meat is another mans moi
SON. This popularity is known as
allergy.
Ten percent of the population
show signs Of what we call major
allergy: hay fever. asthasma al
lergic rhinitis; eczema and mig
raine headaches. Thirty to 40 per
cent show signs Of minor aIIer-
gies such as hives. drug SENSITIVE
ty, allergy to heat. sunlight. cold
and food.
Food allergies are very common.
The greatest Offenders are eggs
milk, cereals, wheat. fruits. nuts
and various oils used in the pre-
paration of food. They are resp
onsible for various discomforts
such as headache and digestive
upsets. However, al sorts Of com
plants fever. fatigue. fast pulse
rate and respiratory difficulties.
nave been laid at the door of food
aAergy. Many people needlesslv
place themselves on rigid diets
which may lead to malnutrition.
No one should try to diagnose
his own a%llergies. It may cause
unnecessary trouble and waste
valuable time. 1 recall a Mr.. John
son who came to see me to ask
for advice on what part of the
country to move in in order to
cure his asthma.
But do you know that YOU
ASTHMA is caused by the climate
here ~ 1 asked.
We'll, 1 thought people with
asthma always moved to a drv
climate he said. I explained to
him that few asthma patients
need a change of climate. because
n asthma may be caused bv
food, drugs, pollens. dust. dander
from horses, cats etc. A move a.
cross the country, the search for
a new place to live and a new lob
be very difficult. If not
necessary it would be very foolish.
Inc thing to do is find out the
cause. OF your trouble. and then
try to cure it,, I told Mr.. John
son. 1T may not be easy to find
and you will have to help me. You
will have to turn medical detec-
tlves and give me clues about |
your attacks. We must find the
cause before any permanent da-
mage to done to your lungs"
A diagnosis of allergy is made
by the physician on the history of
the patient and by skin testing
with substances to which he sus.
poets the patient may be sensitive.
Some cases require many tests.
but in most cases a careful his.
tory greatly reduces this. For. ex-
ample, Mr.. johnson told me he
had attacks Of asthma when he
lived on his grandfather farm ~
. boy. He had only afew attacks
a1ter moving to the city. but they
returned In nun force 3 lev mon.
ehs before he come 10 M. I IA.
nediateay aHpseted that 1eofne
substance related 70 thin Ne -
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