William R. Clark
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195336634
- eISBN:
- 9780199868568
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195336634.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Disease Ecology / Epidemiology
The immune system is the only thing standing between us and a world of microbial predators that could send us to an early and ugly death. It would be our only defense during the first hours of a ...
More
The immune system is the only thing standing between us and a world of microbial predators that could send us to an early and ugly death. It would be our only defense during the first hours of a bioterrorist attack using some of these very microbes. Evolved over millions of years of to keep us alive long enough to reproduce, the immune system has developed an impressive armamentarium of powerful chemical and cellular weapons that make short work of hostile viruses and bacteria. It has also evolved amazing genetic strategies to keep pace with invading microbes that can reproduce — and thus alter their genetic blueprint — in under an hour. But this same system prevents us from accepting life-saving organ transplants. It is also capable of over-reacting, leading to immunopathologies and causing serious, even lethal, damage to our tissues and organs. Worse yet, our immune systems may decide we ourselves are foreign and attack otherwise healthy tissues, resulting in autoimmune disease. And finally, it is itself the target of one of the most deadly viruses humans have ever known: HIV, the agent of AIDS. Part I of this book describes the structure and function of the immune system at a biological and biochemical level. Part II examines the role of the immune system in a range of human diseases — many caused by the immune system itself.Less
The immune system is the only thing standing between us and a world of microbial predators that could send us to an early and ugly death. It would be our only defense during the first hours of a bioterrorist attack using some of these very microbes. Evolved over millions of years of to keep us alive long enough to reproduce, the immune system has developed an impressive armamentarium of powerful chemical and cellular weapons that make short work of hostile viruses and bacteria. It has also evolved amazing genetic strategies to keep pace with invading microbes that can reproduce — and thus alter their genetic blueprint — in under an hour. But this same system prevents us from accepting life-saving organ transplants. It is also capable of over-reacting, leading to immunopathologies and causing serious, even lethal, damage to our tissues and organs. Worse yet, our immune systems may decide we ourselves are foreign and attack otherwise healthy tissues, resulting in autoimmune disease. And finally, it is itself the target of one of the most deadly viruses humans have ever known: HIV, the agent of AIDS. Part I of this book describes the structure and function of the immune system at a biological and biochemical level. Part II examines the role of the immune system in a range of human diseases — many caused by the immune system itself.
William R. Clark
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195336634
- eISBN:
- 9780199868568
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195336634.003.0010
- Subject:
- Biology, Disease Ecology / Epidemiology
As scientists looked ever more closely at the immune system during the first half of the 20th century, it became apparent that in a number of situations exposure to a foreign antigen did not lead to ...
More
As scientists looked ever more closely at the immune system during the first half of the 20th century, it became apparent that in a number of situations exposure to a foreign antigen did not lead to protective immunity, but rather to a state in which subsequent exposure to the same antigen could elicit a violent, often harmful, and occasionally fatal syndrome. This phenomenon of over-reaction became known as hypersensitivity. Examples of hypersensitivity in humans include hay fever, drug and venom allergies, food allergies, and asthma. The immunological bases of these disorders are described.Less
As scientists looked ever more closely at the immune system during the first half of the 20th century, it became apparent that in a number of situations exposure to a foreign antigen did not lead to protective immunity, but rather to a state in which subsequent exposure to the same antigen could elicit a violent, often harmful, and occasionally fatal syndrome. This phenomenon of over-reaction became known as hypersensitivity. Examples of hypersensitivity in humans include hay fever, drug and venom allergies, food allergies, and asthma. The immunological bases of these disorders are described.
Nicholas P. Money
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195172270
- eISBN:
- 9780199790258
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195172270.003.0003
- Subject:
- Biology, Microbiology
This chapter explains how mold spores can cause allergies. Spores carry proteins on their surface, and those that act as antigens can cause a cascade of immune responses resulting in the miseries of ...
More
This chapter explains how mold spores can cause allergies. Spores carry proteins on their surface, and those that act as antigens can cause a cascade of immune responses resulting in the miseries of allergic rhinitis or hay fever, allergic conjunctivitis, skin allergies, asthma, eczema or atopic dermatitis, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. This chapter describes interactions between immune cells in allergies mediated by IgE and IgG, providing a primer on this complex field of medicine. The idea that allergy is a perversion of a response that evolved to combat parasitic infestations is discussed, along with the hygiene hypothesis that has been advanced as an explanation for the increasing prevalence of asthma.Less
This chapter explains how mold spores can cause allergies. Spores carry proteins on their surface, and those that act as antigens can cause a cascade of immune responses resulting in the miseries of allergic rhinitis or hay fever, allergic conjunctivitis, skin allergies, asthma, eczema or atopic dermatitis, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. This chapter describes interactions between immune cells in allergies mediated by IgE and IgG, providing a primer on this complex field of medicine. The idea that allergy is a perversion of a response that evolved to combat parasitic infestations is discussed, along with the hygiene hypothesis that has been advanced as an explanation for the increasing prevalence of asthma.
Nicholas P. Money
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195172270
- eISBN:
- 9780199790258
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195172270.003.0002
- Subject:
- Biology, Microbiology
Black molds feed by secreting enzymes that dissolve complex molecules, like cellulose, as their filamentous hyphae insinuate themselves in their food sources. Many of the molds that grow in buildings ...
More
Black molds feed by secreting enzymes that dissolve complex molecules, like cellulose, as their filamentous hyphae insinuate themselves in their food sources. Many of the molds that grow in buildings represent single phases in complex microbial life cycles. The diversity of mold species is astonishing, but relatively few species are prevalent in homes. Molds have a variety of effects upon human health. Many provoke allergies, some are implicated in fungal sinusitis, and a small subset can cause life-threatening infections. Evidence of the ubiquity of black molds is found in the fact that their growth on the exterior of office buildings in cities is usually mistaken for the effects of pollution.Less
Black molds feed by secreting enzymes that dissolve complex molecules, like cellulose, as their filamentous hyphae insinuate themselves in their food sources. Many of the molds that grow in buildings represent single phases in complex microbial life cycles. The diversity of mold species is astonishing, but relatively few species are prevalent in homes. Molds have a variety of effects upon human health. Many provoke allergies, some are implicated in fungal sinusitis, and a small subset can cause life-threatening infections. Evidence of the ubiquity of black molds is found in the fact that their growth on the exterior of office buildings in cities is usually mistaken for the effects of pollution.
Ralph Colp Jr. M.D.
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813032313
- eISBN:
- 9780813039237
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Florida
- DOI:
- 10.5744/florida/9780813032313.003.0023
- Subject:
- History, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
In a footnote in Darwin on Man, it was suggested that Charles Darwin may have become ill because of “a severe allergy, possibly to pigeons, with which Darwin associated much”. However, there is no ...
More
In a footnote in Darwin on Man, it was suggested that Charles Darwin may have become ill because of “a severe allergy, possibly to pigeons, with which Darwin associated much”. However, there is no evidence that he was allergic to pigeons. Every day, from 1856 through 1858, he would go to the aviary and closely examine the pigeons. Yet his illness was subacute and did not become especially severe. He does not seem to have been exposed to pigeons during the very severe exacerbations of his illness (1839–42, 1848–49, 1863–64, and 1865). In addition, the main symptoms of his illness were not similar to the symptoms of pigeon allergy.Less
In a footnote in Darwin on Man, it was suggested that Charles Darwin may have become ill because of “a severe allergy, possibly to pigeons, with which Darwin associated much”. However, there is no evidence that he was allergic to pigeons. Every day, from 1856 through 1858, he would go to the aviary and closely examine the pigeons. Yet his illness was subacute and did not become especially severe. He does not seem to have been exposed to pigeons during the very severe exacerbations of his illness (1839–42, 1848–49, 1863–64, and 1865). In addition, the main symptoms of his illness were not similar to the symptoms of pigeon allergy.
Ilkka Hanski
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- September 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780226406305
- eISBN:
- 9780226406589
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226406589.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
From a small island in the Baltic Sea to the large tropical islands of Borneo and Madagascar, this book is a global tour of these natural, water-bound laboratories. The book draws upon the many ...
More
From a small island in the Baltic Sea to the large tropical islands of Borneo and Madagascar, this book is a global tour of these natural, water-bound laboratories. The book draws upon the many islands on which fieldwork was performed to convey key themes in ecology. By exploring the islands' biodiversity as an introduction to general issues, the book helps us to learn how species and communities interact in fragmented landscapes, how evolution generates biodiversity, and how this biodiversity is maintained over time. Beginning each chapter on a particular island, the book reflects on field studies before going on to pursue a variety of ecological questions, including: What is the biodiversity crisis? What are extinction thresholds and extinction debts? What can the biodiversity hypothesis tell us about rapidly increasing allergies, asthma, and other chronic inflammatory disorders? The world's largest island, Greenland, for instance, is the starting point for a journey into the benefits that humankind acquires from biodiversity, including the staggering biodiversity of microbes in the ecosystems that are closest to us—the ecosystems in our guts, in our respiratory tracts, and under our skin. Conceptually oriented but grounded in an adventurous personal narrative, the book lifts the natural mysteries of islands from the sea, bringing to light the thrilling complexities and connections of ecosystems worldwide.Less
From a small island in the Baltic Sea to the large tropical islands of Borneo and Madagascar, this book is a global tour of these natural, water-bound laboratories. The book draws upon the many islands on which fieldwork was performed to convey key themes in ecology. By exploring the islands' biodiversity as an introduction to general issues, the book helps us to learn how species and communities interact in fragmented landscapes, how evolution generates biodiversity, and how this biodiversity is maintained over time. Beginning each chapter on a particular island, the book reflects on field studies before going on to pursue a variety of ecological questions, including: What is the biodiversity crisis? What are extinction thresholds and extinction debts? What can the biodiversity hypothesis tell us about rapidly increasing allergies, asthma, and other chronic inflammatory disorders? The world's largest island, Greenland, for instance, is the starting point for a journey into the benefits that humankind acquires from biodiversity, including the staggering biodiversity of microbes in the ecosystems that are closest to us—the ecosystems in our guts, in our respiratory tracts, and under our skin. Conceptually oriented but grounded in an adventurous personal narrative, the book lifts the natural mysteries of islands from the sea, bringing to light the thrilling complexities and connections of ecosystems worldwide.
Matthew Smith
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231164849
- eISBN:
- 9780231539197
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231164849.003.0007
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health
This chapter highlights the role of the peanut in making food allergy respectable. More than any other food allergen, peanuts became synonymous with food allergy and the subject of grassroots ...
More
This chapter highlights the role of the peanut in making food allergy respectable. More than any other food allergen, peanuts became synonymous with food allergy and the subject of grassroots activism, voluntary industry action, legislation, and extensive media coverage. Unlike other developments in the history of food allergy—which were dominated by ideological debates among physicians, the clinical challenges of diagnosis and treatment, and the politics and economics of allergy—patients and parents were instrumental in putting the spotlight on peanut allergy by raising awareness, monitoring for peanut contamination, lobbying for better labels, and raising funds for research. Allergy associations and the food industry were also able to harness public concern about and interest in peanut allergy in order to shape understandings of food allergy in ways that were in their own interests.Less
This chapter highlights the role of the peanut in making food allergy respectable. More than any other food allergen, peanuts became synonymous with food allergy and the subject of grassroots activism, voluntary industry action, legislation, and extensive media coverage. Unlike other developments in the history of food allergy—which were dominated by ideological debates among physicians, the clinical challenges of diagnosis and treatment, and the politics and economics of allergy—patients and parents were instrumental in putting the spotlight on peanut allergy by raising awareness, monitoring for peanut contamination, lobbying for better labels, and raising funds for research. Allergy associations and the food industry were also able to harness public concern about and interest in peanut allergy in order to shape understandings of food allergy in ways that were in their own interests.
Dickson Despommier
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231161947
- eISBN:
- 9780231535267
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231161947.001.0001
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health
This account of the biology, behavior, and history of parasites follows the interplay between these fascinating life forms and human society over thousands of years. The book focuses on long-term ...
More
This account of the biology, behavior, and history of parasites follows the interplay between these fascinating life forms and human society over thousands of years. The book focuses on long-term host-parasite associations, which have evolved to avoid or even subvert the human immune system. Some parasites do great damage to their hosts, while others have signed a kind of “peace treaty” in exchange for their long lives within them. Many parasites also practice clever survival strategies that medical scientists hope to mimic as they search for treatments for Crohn's disease, food allergies, type 1 diabetes, organ transplantation, and other medical challenges. The text concentrates on particularly remarkable and often highly pathogenic organisms, describing their lifecycles and the mechanisms they use to avoid elimination. It details their attack and survival plans and the nature of the illnesses they cause in general terms, enabling readers of all backgrounds to steal a glimpse into the secret work of such effective invaders. The text also points to the cultural contexts in which these parasites thrive and reviews the current treatments available to defeat them.Less
This account of the biology, behavior, and history of parasites follows the interplay between these fascinating life forms and human society over thousands of years. The book focuses on long-term host-parasite associations, which have evolved to avoid or even subvert the human immune system. Some parasites do great damage to their hosts, while others have signed a kind of “peace treaty” in exchange for their long lives within them. Many parasites also practice clever survival strategies that medical scientists hope to mimic as they search for treatments for Crohn's disease, food allergies, type 1 diabetes, organ transplantation, and other medical challenges. The text concentrates on particularly remarkable and often highly pathogenic organisms, describing their lifecycles and the mechanisms they use to avoid elimination. It details their attack and survival plans and the nature of the illnesses they cause in general terms, enabling readers of all backgrounds to steal a glimpse into the secret work of such effective invaders. The text also points to the cultural contexts in which these parasites thrive and reviews the current treatments available to defeat them.
Matthew Smith
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231164849
- eISBN:
- 9780231539197
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231164849.003.0008
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health
This concluding chapter begins with a discussion of the lack of medical interest and the paucity of research on the rise of allergy and other immune dysfunctions. It argues that rather than thinking ...
More
This concluding chapter begins with a discussion of the lack of medical interest and the paucity of research on the rise of allergy and other immune dysfunctions. It argues that rather than thinking imaginatively or creatively about such diseases, their causes, and what they might denote about our changing relationship with our foods, the environment, or our lifestyles, most clinicians and researchers have expended their energies on defending restrictive dogmas and debating about precise definitions. The chapter suggests that in order to explain the explosion of anaphylactic allergy and other allergic diseases, food allergists and orthodox allergists should look to reconcile their differences and examine food allergy afresh in a more pluralistic, open-minded, and holistic fashion.Less
This concluding chapter begins with a discussion of the lack of medical interest and the paucity of research on the rise of allergy and other immune dysfunctions. It argues that rather than thinking imaginatively or creatively about such diseases, their causes, and what they might denote about our changing relationship with our foods, the environment, or our lifestyles, most clinicians and researchers have expended their energies on defending restrictive dogmas and debating about precise definitions. The chapter suggests that in order to explain the explosion of anaphylactic allergy and other allergic diseases, food allergists and orthodox allergists should look to reconcile their differences and examine food allergy afresh in a more pluralistic, open-minded, and holistic fashion.
Anders Ekbom and Dimitrios Trichopoulos
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195311174
- eISBN:
- 9780199865093
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195311174.003.0013
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health, Epidemiology
Cancer of the pancreas is slightly more common among men than women. Survival rarely exceeds six months. Trends in pancreatic cancer incidence in developed countries are slightly declining. The ...
More
Cancer of the pancreas is slightly more common among men than women. Survival rarely exceeds six months. Trends in pancreatic cancer incidence in developed countries are slightly declining. The disease shows evidence of a familial occurrence. Tobacco smoking is the only established exogenous cause of the disease; smoking cessation is quickly followed by a reduction in risk. Consumption of fruits and vegetables is inversely associated. Alcohol, either consumed in moderate amounts or abused, does not substantially affect risk, although pancreatitis, frequently linked to excessive alcohol intake, has been found to slightly increase the risk of the disease. Among occupational factors the evidence is relatively strong only for chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents frequently used in dry cleaning. Adult-onset diabetes mellitus and perhaps pernicious anemia may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, possibly through the action of gastrointestinal hormones or insulin. Several reports indicate that allergies may be inversely related to the risk of pancreatic cancer.Less
Cancer of the pancreas is slightly more common among men than women. Survival rarely exceeds six months. Trends in pancreatic cancer incidence in developed countries are slightly declining. The disease shows evidence of a familial occurrence. Tobacco smoking is the only established exogenous cause of the disease; smoking cessation is quickly followed by a reduction in risk. Consumption of fruits and vegetables is inversely associated. Alcohol, either consumed in moderate amounts or abused, does not substantially affect risk, although pancreatitis, frequently linked to excessive alcohol intake, has been found to slightly increase the risk of the disease. Among occupational factors the evidence is relatively strong only for chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents frequently used in dry cleaning. Adult-onset diabetes mellitus and perhaps pernicious anemia may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, possibly through the action of gastrointestinal hormones or insulin. Several reports indicate that allergies may be inversely related to the risk of pancreatic cancer.
Diana Kuh and Yoav Ben-Shlomo
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780198578154
- eISBN:
- 9780191724039
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198578154.003.0010
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health, Epidemiology
This chapter examines the independent and combined effects of perinatal or childhood exposures and adult lifestyle on the development of both allergic and non-allergic lung disease. Topics discussed ...
More
This chapter examines the independent and combined effects of perinatal or childhood exposures and adult lifestyle on the development of both allergic and non-allergic lung disease. Topics discussed include the development of ventilary function, effects of childhood chest illness on lung function and respiratory disease, allergic sensitization, and later influences on adult respiratory disease. It also reviews trends in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and allergy.Less
This chapter examines the independent and combined effects of perinatal or childhood exposures and adult lifestyle on the development of both allergic and non-allergic lung disease. Topics discussed include the development of ventilary function, effects of childhood chest illness on lung function and respiratory disease, allergic sensitization, and later influences on adult respiratory disease. It also reviews trends in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and allergy.
Roberto J. Rona and Susan Chinn
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780192629197
- eISBN:
- 9780191723612
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780192629197.003.0012
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health, Epidemiology
This chapter looks at a study of several parental concerns related to their child's health. The study showed that 2.8% of the children were considered food intolerant. A report of food intolerance in ...
More
This chapter looks at a study of several parental concerns related to their child's health. The study showed that 2.8% of the children were considered food intolerant. A report of food intolerance in the child was more likely among mothers who had a higher education. Many health complaints were more common in the food intolerant group of children. Those who eliminated food items from the diet for health reasons were shorter. Enuresis and disturbed sleep were common at school entrance, 11% and 5% respectively, but decreased during primary school years. Enuresis was more common in Afro–Caribbean children, boys, those with a mother who smoked, the youngest children in the family, and those with a young mother. Several social factors were associated with disturbed sleep. Many parents who believed that their child was food intolerant consulted a doctor, but parents were unlikely to consult a doctor for enuresis or disturbed sleep in their child.Less
This chapter looks at a study of several parental concerns related to their child's health. The study showed that 2.8% of the children were considered food intolerant. A report of food intolerance in the child was more likely among mothers who had a higher education. Many health complaints were more common in the food intolerant group of children. Those who eliminated food items from the diet for health reasons were shorter. Enuresis and disturbed sleep were common at school entrance, 11% and 5% respectively, but decreased during primary school years. Enuresis was more common in Afro–Caribbean children, boys, those with a mother who smoked, the youngest children in the family, and those with a young mother. Several social factors were associated with disturbed sleep. Many parents who believed that their child was food intolerant consulted a doctor, but parents were unlikely to consult a doctor for enuresis or disturbed sleep in their child.
Matthew Smith
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231164849
- eISBN:
- 9780231539197
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231164849.003.0001
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health
This introductory chapter begins with a review of some contemporary statistics about food allergy. Food allergies, for instance, occur when the immune system overreacts to proteins found in food. ...
More
This introductory chapter begins with a review of some contemporary statistics about food allergy. Food allergies, for instance, occur when the immune system overreacts to proteins found in food. Today it is estimated that 4 percent of adults and 8 percent of children in North America are allergic to some food, including peanuts, eggs, and milk. The chapter then sets out the book's purpose, namely to describe the history of food allergy in order to address the following questions: Why has food allergy transformed from a questionable medical entity to a condition deemed serious enough to change the ways in which we produce, prepare, and consume food? Why has food allergy always been so controversial? Why have explanations for food allergy been so elusive? And why are more and more children allergic to food. An overview of the subsequent chapters is also presented.Less
This introductory chapter begins with a review of some contemporary statistics about food allergy. Food allergies, for instance, occur when the immune system overreacts to proteins found in food. Today it is estimated that 4 percent of adults and 8 percent of children in North America are allergic to some food, including peanuts, eggs, and milk. The chapter then sets out the book's purpose, namely to describe the history of food allergy in order to address the following questions: Why has food allergy transformed from a questionable medical entity to a condition deemed serious enough to change the ways in which we produce, prepare, and consume food? Why has food allergy always been so controversial? Why have explanations for food allergy been so elusive? And why are more and more children allergic to food. An overview of the subsequent chapters is also presented.
Matthew Smith
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231164849
- eISBN:
- 9780231539197
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231164849.003.0002
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health
This chapter examines how physicians in previous centuries came to understand and explain the bizarre symptoms that some people experienced after eating particular foods. Rather than attempting to ...
More
This chapter examines how physicians in previous centuries came to understand and explain the bizarre symptoms that some people experienced after eating particular foods. Rather than attempting to prove that reports of bizarre food reactions were what we would now call food allergy, it shows how such responses were understood prior to the emergence of allergy as a medical and cultural phenomenon. How did physicians interpret strange responses to food before 1906? Were they common explanations for otherwise unexplained symptoms? If they were not a regular feature of medical practice, does this mean that reactions to food were unheard of—a conclusion that might support some current theories about the epidemiology of food allergy—or does it mean instead that compared with the vast amount of endemic infectious disease and nasty pathogens commonly found in poorly preserved food, they were believed to be clinically unimportant? Either way, what bearing does the history of such reactions, the prehistory of food allergy, have on the understandings of food allergy that emerged after von Pirquet coined his term?Less
This chapter examines how physicians in previous centuries came to understand and explain the bizarre symptoms that some people experienced after eating particular foods. Rather than attempting to prove that reports of bizarre food reactions were what we would now call food allergy, it shows how such responses were understood prior to the emergence of allergy as a medical and cultural phenomenon. How did physicians interpret strange responses to food before 1906? Were they common explanations for otherwise unexplained symptoms? If they were not a regular feature of medical practice, does this mean that reactions to food were unheard of—a conclusion that might support some current theories about the epidemiology of food allergy—or does it mean instead that compared with the vast amount of endemic infectious disease and nasty pathogens commonly found in poorly preserved food, they were believed to be clinically unimportant? Either way, what bearing does the history of such reactions, the prehistory of food allergy, have on the understandings of food allergy that emerged after von Pirquet coined his term?
Matthew Smith
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231164849
- eISBN:
- 9780231539197
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231164849.003.0003
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health
This chapter charts the emergence of allergy as a specific field of medical inquiry in the early years of the twentieth century. It considers debates about food allergy, which could be distilled to ...
More
This chapter charts the emergence of allergy as a specific field of medical inquiry in the early years of the twentieth century. It considers debates about food allergy, which could be distilled to how one defined allergy and how one applied such definitions in clinical practice. Anaphylaxis denoted a restricted definition of food allergy, which was limited to certain reactions and, by extension, certain kinds of food. For orthodox allergists, who believed that the rates of food allergy were exaggerated, it was Charles Richet's definition of anaphylaxis that mattered most. Allergy, as defined by Clemens von Pirquet, widened the spectrum, allowing for a greater array of symptoms, especially chronic complaints, to be included under its umbrella. Physicians who regarded food allergy as a widespread clinical phenomenon adhered to this definition. But for some, including the clinical ecologists who defected from allergy in the 1960s, even von Pirquet's term did not go far enough. They, instead, turned away from the immune system and toward Francis Hare, whose inductive process had convinced them that food played a key role in countless chronic health problems, including mental illness.Less
This chapter charts the emergence of allergy as a specific field of medical inquiry in the early years of the twentieth century. It considers debates about food allergy, which could be distilled to how one defined allergy and how one applied such definitions in clinical practice. Anaphylaxis denoted a restricted definition of food allergy, which was limited to certain reactions and, by extension, certain kinds of food. For orthodox allergists, who believed that the rates of food allergy were exaggerated, it was Charles Richet's definition of anaphylaxis that mattered most. Allergy, as defined by Clemens von Pirquet, widened the spectrum, allowing for a greater array of symptoms, especially chronic complaints, to be included under its umbrella. Physicians who regarded food allergy as a widespread clinical phenomenon adhered to this definition. But for some, including the clinical ecologists who defected from allergy in the 1960s, even von Pirquet's term did not go far enough. They, instead, turned away from the immune system and toward Francis Hare, whose inductive process had convinced them that food played a key role in countless chronic health problems, including mental illness.
Matthew Smith
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231164849
- eISBN:
- 9780231539197
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231164849.003.0004
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health
This chapter describes the excitement and controversy generated by clinical and popular interest in food allergy during the first several decades of the twentieth century. It became apparent that ...
More
This chapter describes the excitement and controversy generated by clinical and popular interest in food allergy during the first several decades of the twentieth century. It became apparent that although food allergy was included in the same family of allergic disease as hay fever and pet dander allergy, it did not always follow the same rules as those conditions. Early food allergists had to diagnose, treat, and classify food allergy differently than orthodox allergists who focused on other allergies. They also relied more on the testimony and cooperation of their patients. The two factions that would emerge within allergy—food allergists, who employed a broad definition of food allergy and thought it was widespread, and orthodox allergists, who employed a narrower definition of food allergy and thought it was rare—would contest how to understand, explain, and treat food allergy throughout the twentieth century.Less
This chapter describes the excitement and controversy generated by clinical and popular interest in food allergy during the first several decades of the twentieth century. It became apparent that although food allergy was included in the same family of allergic disease as hay fever and pet dander allergy, it did not always follow the same rules as those conditions. Early food allergists had to diagnose, treat, and classify food allergy differently than orthodox allergists who focused on other allergies. They also relied more on the testimony and cooperation of their patients. The two factions that would emerge within allergy—food allergists, who employed a broad definition of food allergy and thought it was widespread, and orthodox allergists, who employed a narrower definition of food allergy and thought it was rare—would contest how to understand, explain, and treat food allergy throughout the twentieth century.
Matthew Smith
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231164849
- eISBN:
- 9780231539197
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231164849.003.0005
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health
During the postwar period, disputes about food allergy were framed on competing ideologies, one rooted in the emerging environmental movement and concerns about processed foods and food chemicals, ...
More
During the postwar period, disputes about food allergy were framed on competing ideologies, one rooted in the emerging environmental movement and concerns about processed foods and food chemicals, and the other centered on the mid-twentieth-century fascination with psychosomatic medicine and Freudian psychoanalysis. In order to understand the impact of both of these models of allergic disease, this chapter concentrates on how the relationship between mental illness and food allergy was variously depicted by food allergists and psychoanalytically oriented allergists. The resulting divisions split the allergy community and, indeed, led many food allergists to abandon both the field—and the concept—of allergy altogether and turn instead to a new discipline: clinical ecology.Less
During the postwar period, disputes about food allergy were framed on competing ideologies, one rooted in the emerging environmental movement and concerns about processed foods and food chemicals, and the other centered on the mid-twentieth-century fascination with psychosomatic medicine and Freudian psychoanalysis. In order to understand the impact of both of these models of allergic disease, this chapter concentrates on how the relationship between mental illness and food allergy was variously depicted by food allergists and psychoanalytically oriented allergists. The resulting divisions split the allergy community and, indeed, led many food allergists to abandon both the field—and the concept—of allergy altogether and turn instead to a new discipline: clinical ecology.
Matthew Smith
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231164849
- eISBN:
- 9780231539197
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231164849.003.0006
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health
This chapter discusses how the schism between food allergists and orthodox allergists was finally made complete by the discovery of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in 1966. For academic immunologists and ...
More
This chapter discusses how the schism between food allergists and orthodox allergists was finally made complete by the discovery of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in 1966. For academic immunologists and orthodox allergists, IgE was and is an immunological marker for allergic reactions, proving to them that much of what food allergists had claimed was food allergy was in fact either intolerance or psychosomatic. Although IgE ushered in a new era of scientific respectability for orthodox allergists, it pushed many food allergists to the fringes of medical practice. IgE also made it possible for unscrupulous allergists to market dubious allergy tests, which marginalized food allergists and clinical ecologists even farther.Less
This chapter discusses how the schism between food allergists and orthodox allergists was finally made complete by the discovery of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in 1966. For academic immunologists and orthodox allergists, IgE was and is an immunological marker for allergic reactions, proving to them that much of what food allergists had claimed was food allergy was in fact either intolerance or psychosomatic. Although IgE ushered in a new era of scientific respectability for orthodox allergists, it pushed many food allergists to the fringes of medical practice. IgE also made it possible for unscrupulous allergists to market dubious allergy tests, which marginalized food allergists and clinical ecologists even farther.
Jeffrey Dudiak
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- March 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780823220922
- eISBN:
- 9780823235759
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Fordham University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5422/fso/9780823220922.003.0002
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
This chapter presents Levinas's idea of discourse, as proposed in the pages of Totality and Infinity, as providing a description of the conditions of possibility for ...
More
This chapter presents Levinas's idea of discourse, as proposed in the pages of Totality and Infinity, as providing a description of the conditions of possibility for interparadigmatic dialogue, that is, for engendering a dialogue in situations where the common logos that would mediate a dia-logos cannot be effectively located, and thus cannot perform its mediatory function. Following Levinas's own definitions, the chapter defines discourse as “an original, non-allergic, ethical relationship with alterity productive of a meaning capable of founding communal meaning,”. The exposition follows the elements of this definition in dealing with the way in which the separated terms requisite for discourse (the relation as “non-allergic”) are, for Levinas, evinced, first, in the ethical separation (transcendence) of the other from the same and from the system that, as the same, it operates; and secondly, in the separation of the same from any system of totality.Less
This chapter presents Levinas's idea of discourse, as proposed in the pages of Totality and Infinity, as providing a description of the conditions of possibility for interparadigmatic dialogue, that is, for engendering a dialogue in situations where the common logos that would mediate a dia-logos cannot be effectively located, and thus cannot perform its mediatory function. Following Levinas's own definitions, the chapter defines discourse as “an original, non-allergic, ethical relationship with alterity productive of a meaning capable of founding communal meaning,”. The exposition follows the elements of this definition in dealing with the way in which the separated terms requisite for discourse (the relation as “non-allergic”) are, for Levinas, evinced, first, in the ethical separation (transcendence) of the other from the same and from the system that, as the same, it operates; and secondly, in the separation of the same from any system of totality.
Matthew Smith
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231164849
- eISBN:
- 9780231539197
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231164849.001.0001
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health
This book assesses the political, economic, cultural, and health factors that relate to food allergies. It surveys the history of food allergies from ancient times to the present and provides a clear ...
More
This book assesses the political, economic, cultural, and health factors that relate to food allergies. It surveys the history of food allergies from ancient times to the present and provides a clear appraisal of new medical findings on allergies and what they say about our environment, our immune system, and the nature of the food we consume. It shows that for most of the twentieth century, while many physicians and clinicians argued that certain foods could cause a range of chronic problems, from asthma and eczema to migraines and hyperactivity, others believed that allergies were psychosomatic or simply “junk” science. It traces the trajectory of this debate and its effect on public-health policy and the production, manufacture, and consumption of food. It answers the following key questions: Are rising allergy rates purely the result of effective lobbying and a booming industry built on self-diagnosis and expensive remedies? Or should physicians become more flexible in their approach to food allergies and more careful in their diagnoses? It explores the issue from scientific, political, economic, social, and patient-centred perspectives. It engages fully with the history of what is now a major modern affliction and illuminates society's troubled relationship with food, disease, and the creation of medical knowledge.Less
This book assesses the political, economic, cultural, and health factors that relate to food allergies. It surveys the history of food allergies from ancient times to the present and provides a clear appraisal of new medical findings on allergies and what they say about our environment, our immune system, and the nature of the food we consume. It shows that for most of the twentieth century, while many physicians and clinicians argued that certain foods could cause a range of chronic problems, from asthma and eczema to migraines and hyperactivity, others believed that allergies were psychosomatic or simply “junk” science. It traces the trajectory of this debate and its effect on public-health policy and the production, manufacture, and consumption of food. It answers the following key questions: Are rising allergy rates purely the result of effective lobbying and a booming industry built on self-diagnosis and expensive remedies? Or should physicians become more flexible in their approach to food allergies and more careful in their diagnoses? It explores the issue from scientific, political, economic, social, and patient-centred perspectives. It engages fully with the history of what is now a major modern affliction and illuminates society's troubled relationship with food, disease, and the creation of medical knowledge.
