Reply #82: the pathologist ruled out an allergic reaction... [View All]

... but in the story I read -- if I recall correctly -- they didn't go into specifics beyond that.

Many of those who do ultimately die of anaphylaxis have coexisting asthma (it's one of the risk factors that distinguishes a food allergy with a high likelihood of causing a fatal reaction from one that probably won't). A concurrent asthma exacerbation may play a role in some of these deaths. I guess there are lots of possible factors.

But you just can't have an allergen-free world. If the slightest touch or whiff of peanuts could kill you, then you'd soon die just from walking around in public. Such a level of sensitivity would warrant seclusion and full-on Bubble Boy treatment -- not just some lame peanut ban.


The only way to protect an allergic person is to give them the things they need to protect themselves -- not to go and confiscate their friends' cookies and sandwiches and stuff.