Dining with Death

Gosline, Anna. "Dining with death." New Scientist, June 2006: 40-44.

"The American government estimates around 1 percent of the population - almost 2 million people - are allergic to peanuts (40)." That is a staggering statistic. Peanuts, unlike other allergenic foods, cause the most serious allergic responses, anaphylaxis among them.

This article is the creation of a freelance writer from London who has a severe peanut allergy. It begins with the proclamation that she "risks her life every time she eats out" and then goes on to relate the story of her near-death anaphylactic reaction in college to a chocolate dessert,which unknowingly contained peanuts. The article, after citing peanut allergy statistics, goes on to mention possible causes and cures for peanut allergies.

The information contained in this article, written for a non-technical/everyday man audience, is a good summary of peanut allergies from an author with first-hand experience. Because the author is not a medical professional, though, I'd be cautious about using any statistics she provides. I have read several other sources which provide figures that are probably more accurate and reliable.

The author did a nice job of relating the experience of an allergic reaction and living with a life-threatening food allergy.