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PERFUME PERILS IN SEASONAL GIFTS

Friday, December 15, 2006
From Richard A. R. Bruce, Hill Place Cottage, Thorley, Yarmouth:

AT this time of year many people receive gifts of perfumes and aftershaves but please think of the children and adults in our community who can suffer serious reactions to these chemicals.
Perfumes are not like they used to be and they pervade clothing and even food that often has to be thrown away by those who are chemically sensitive.
The effects vary from asthma-like symptoms, itching skin and sweating to more serious effects such as heart irregularities and those akin to anaphylactic shock as seen in peanut or latex allergy.
Avoidance is almost impossible except in those parts of the world where restrictions have been imposed on their use in the workplace.
Worldwide campaigns have been established to highlight this serious problem and more information can be found on the web at http://www.mcs-global.org or at http://www.mcs-international.org.
Or, for more details, contact isleofwight@mcs-global.org.