The Emergence Of “Chemical Victims”
In time it became obvious that some individuals were sensitive to environmental chemicals. It is hard to describe this as an allergy; probably the term ‘low-grade poisoning’ would be better since many of these chemicals would make anyone exposed to them in sufficient concentration feel ill. The problem is just that certain individuals react to smaller doses.
The doyen/pioneer of this field was the late Theron Randolph MD, whose paradigm-shifting masterpiece Human Ecology And Susceptibility To The Chemical Environment (Springfield, Ill, 1962) is a classic of original investigation and should be required reading for ALL doctors and practitioners.
We are all subject to a barrage of alien chemicals in our bodies (Greek word: xenobiotics, meaning alien to life. We have chemical pathways in our bodies designed to remove toxic substances: a process called detoxication or biotransformation.
The trouble is these new man-made chemicals have no equivalent in nature and so we do not have the right systems in our body to fully eliminate the toxicity. In fact, in its attempts to deal with the problem the body sometimes, by mistake, actually coverts these xenobiotics into something even more toxic (Casarett and Doull’s Toxicology. Basic Science of Poisons. Third Edition, Editors: Klaasen CD, Amdur MO, Doull J, Macmillan, New York 1986).
It’s a self-perpetuating problem, since the alien chemicals can poison the enzyme pathways that are there to remove them. The result is that sick and sensitive people get sicker and sicker. Pioneer UK psychiatrist Richard Mackarness christened these patients “chemical victims” (Mackarness R. Chemical Victims, Pan Books, London, 1980).
The media used extreme phrases like “allergic to the twentieth century” but there is no doubt that for these sufferers, our modern techno-chemical society is a nightmare. The phenomenon of chemical overload and the chemically-sensitive patient is one that we have created for ourselves with our advanced lifestyle.
Toxic chemicals, such as benzene, formaldehyde, methacrylate, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, zylene, naphthalene, phthalates, bisphenol A and styrene, can come from many sources in the home (this particular list of substances are all given off by new carpets).
Then there are more chemicals at work; some are recognized occupational hazards and strictly controlled, but the majority are not considered “occupational”: photocopy fluid, glues, plastics, paper treatments, inks, dyes, fabrics, and so on.
Most doctors don’t believe these low ambient levels of chemicals can make you ill. But there are grievously in error, through ignorance. First, most doctors don’t know any toxicology; it’s another sad case of one discipline being completely isolated from another. All toxicologists know that present ambient levels of chemicals are more than capable of making individuals ill; there are tens of thousands of scientific papers attesting to this fact.
he second major black hole in medical practitioners’ knowledge is that, although they admit occupational chemical exposures and diseases to their mind set, they do not believe in home exposure!
Yet repeated tests show that levels of toxic chemicals in the average home are way above those encountered at work and, in many cases, well above legal safety limits which are imposed in the workplace.
That much ignorance causes much unnecessary suffering and may cost lives.
This problem, of course, can co-exist with other mechanisms and often does. Indeed, multiple chemical sensitivity seems to provoke intolerance of others substances (and probably vice versa). Integrate this knowledge with reading about other ways allergies and overload cause symptoms.
When to suspect chemical intolerance and overload
Suspect chemical intolerance or overloading when you develop the following signs:
- Symptoms worse in closed spaces (shopping malls, long car journeys)
- Symptoms worse on week days (chemicals at work)
- Symptoms better on holiday (fresh air!)
- Worse in an urban environment
- Gasoline or gloss paint gives you a headache
- Acute sense of smell to chemicals
- Lost sense of smell or it comes and goes
- You get a “lift” or liking for certain chemical odours
- Intolerant of synthetic fabrics (sneezing, skin rash, irritation)
- Others similarly ill in the home or workplace (sick or tight building syndrome
- Illness began after moving to present location or current employment
Chemical Buzz
Does the idea of a “lift” or buzz from chemicals sound crazy? Why should it? Think about glue and solvent sniffers. They do it on purpose – but just because they are too stupid to realize the dangers that doesn’t mean it is not pleasurable brain stimulation.
Note that with exposure at work symptoms may not begin till Tuesday or Wednesday, as the cumulative effect builds up.
Similarly, symptoms may not clear by Saturday morning but could linger through till later. Yet you may get the worst reaction on Monday and Tuesday, as your body is challenged by chemicals which have gassed out over the weekend.
Why would someone develop chemical intolerance?
I have learned of at least four reasons a person becomes chemically sensitive. Others may come to light in time:
- Chronic over-exposure (as in the workplace)
- Sudden massive over-exposure (as in an overspray or contamination incident)
- Metabolic (enzyme) deficiency
- Overload
Once intolerance to one chemical substance is established, it tends to spread rapidly to other substances. We call this the spreading effect.
Causes Of Chemical Exposure- What To Look For
Scott-Mumby’s Rule Of The Nose: I have a maxim, based on decades of experience, which is that if there is enough substance present to cause an odor, there is enough to cause symptoms.
Some dangerous chemical substances, of course have no odor.
There are many other chemical contacts, of course: plastics, urban atmospheric pollution, perfumes and cosmetics, cleaners, solvents, aerosol sprays, paints and food additives, to name but a few.
Most of these are derived, ultimately, from petroleum and the whole group we call “hydrocarbons” from their chemical structure. Interestingly, all petroleum (and coal) products originated as pine trees in carboniferous forests millions of years ago. Yet we find pine and its terpene derivatives today are quite potent allergens! Is there a connection?
Chemicals At Work And School
Don’t forget the work environment as a source of chemical exposure. In some trades there are specific hazards and the monitoring of these exposures since the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 has come under the control of the Environmental Safety Officer (ESO) in the Environmental Medical Advisory Service (EMAS).
However, to pretend this system is working efficiently and protecting workers properly is to be foolish and gullible in the extreme. Only a very small percentage of workers – those employed in larger factories and offices – effectively come under this sort of umbrella.
Although the Act supposedly covers all offices, factories and places of work, in actual fact it is impossible to monitor the countless small businesses that this represents. Only if the individual worker complains is any action likely to be taken in the event of a hazard and many workers are reluctant to report breaches of the codes for fear of losing their jobs, either as retribution or indirectly because the works are closed down due to not being able to afford all the safety procedures required.
It may be obvious to you that you are working with major chemical toxins. Elaborate precautions and safety instructions would tell you that. However, many chemical allergens at work are much more insidious and difficult to detect unless you consider the possibility.
Problems can come from photocopier fluids, solvents, aerosol, powerful cleaning agents and detergents (common where contract cleaners are employed), air purifiers and, fast but not least, the fabric of the building and its furnishings (formaldehyde particularly). If your office has that new ‘plastic’ smell, this could be a problem. Air conditioning often makes matters far worse by circulating indoor pollution.