Ran across this wood allergy article by Bud Latven... you see this?

[Jim Underwood]

Just ran across an article in the Jan 2011 Woodshop News by Bud Latven today. (http://www.woodshopnews.com/columns-blogs/cutting-edge/499559-some-woods-can-be-harmful-to-your-health) (You never know what you'll find when you clean off your desk.)

I thought it was pretty interesting. (Which explains why the mag was left open to this article and buried under a pile of other magazines, also open to articles....)

Bud was developing serious sensitivities to several woods, which caused full immune system reactions (particularly Rosewoods and Ebonies). He did some research and realized there was very little treatment available for wood alleries....

So he finally "contacted Santa Fe Center for Allergy and Environmental Medicine and Dr. W.A. Shrader, (http://www.drshrader.com/) who specializes in low dose allergen, or LDA therapy, which is an alternative form of allergy treatment."

The upshot of it was that he was soon better, and is able to work with those woods again.

Just wondering if any of you have had any experience with this treatment?

[Jim Burr]

Sad thing about all wood Jim is that anyone can be allergic to anything at any time. Although walnut has never bothered me, but just found out the hard way that mesquite kills my sinus's. In relating that to one of our pulmonologists Tuesday and he said "If that's the case...get out, stay out, leave it out" An allergy can quickly turn into a reaction and cause permanent damage to airways and lungs. He passed on that rosewood(s) is/are inherently allergenic...most studies relate it to oils that deposit in the lungs causing a histamine response. He makes classical guitars in his shop...knows what he's talking about. Turn safe!

[John Keeton]

Interesting read, Jim! Thanks for posting this. Good information to keep in mind. To this point in life, I have very little allergic reaction to anything, but as noted, it can come on at any point in a cumulative fashion.

[Russell Neyman]

Personally, I'm not bothered at all by wood dust of any type, and I don't wear a dust mask as often as I should. Just lucky, I guess. I'm struck by two small encounters I had in the past. One, when I purchase a quantity of cocobolo, the lumber supply company "put me on notice" that the wood dust was essentially toxic. Yikes. Then, I attended a Woodworking Show seminar once, and three guys sat down hooked up to oxygen bottles, leaving the first instant the demonstrator started to sand. The presenter noted that he was working spalted oak, which means that it was "infested" with a fungus. He watched the guys shuffle out, then added: "There's a reason bugs don't like to eat cedar and redwood. That stuff is toxic."

I have a three-page list of Toxic Woods that I'd be happy to email to anyone who wants to see it. It's in a pdf format, which can't be attached to these posts. Drop me a note of you're interested.

[Ralph Lindberg]

Good read and a reminder to us all. Russel and I lost a fellow club member to pulmonary issues, we also have one that has to wear a full enviro gear

I have a variation on the "Cocobolo" saying... "There are two types of woodworkers, those who have issues with wood dust, and those that will. Unless you takes steps to control dust"

[neil mackay]

Down under the local, state and federal health authorites now place all wood dust in the toxic basket.


Sad thing about all wood Jim is that anyone can be allergic to anything at any time.

Fortunately I have yet to have any reaction to any wood dust, with this in mind I take strong efforts to avoid the stuff by extraction etc