Mold Specialists Visit St. Bernard

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Mold Specialists Visit St. Bernard

February 9 , 2006

By: Steve Cannizaro

http://www.sbpg.net/cannizaro020906.html

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Nationally known Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker talks with a patient Thursday

aboard the Scotia Prince cruise ship in Violet, where he is

examining St. Bernard residents. Photo, Cannizaro.

In his short time in St. Bernard Parish, Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker of

Pocomoke,

Md., a nationally recognized authority on mold-related illnesses, has

already heard about what is called the Katrina Cough, the throat-

clearing

that some people have developed which doesn't seem to go away. He

wants to

determine if mold is playing any part in it.

Shoemaker, who runs a biotoxin clinic and is the author of the 2004

book,

" Mold Warriors,'' has donated his time to come to St. Bernard Parish

through

Sunday to examine patients with respiratory problems to see if there

is a

mold illness problem.

The owner of the Scotia Prince cruise ship that is docked at Violet

and is

home to several hundred St. Bernard residents displaced by Hurricane

Katrina

invited Shoemaker to come set up an office on the boat, where he

began

seeing patients on Thursday and will continue through Sunday. Parish

President Henry " Junior'' said he encourages residents to

be

examined if they are experiencing problems.

Also from Friday through Sunday, a mold toxicologist, Dr.

Lipsey of

ville, Fla., head of Lipsey & Associates, will be in St.

Bernard

Parish to speak with parish officials about mold problems as well as

inspect

some buildings and homes, where samples will be taken, parish

officials

said.

Shoemaker said Prof. Hudson, owner of the cruise ship Scotia

Prince

invited him. " I have been asked to come here and determine the

possibility

of mold illness in patients'' who have been in flooded homes,

Shoemaker

said.

He said illness from mold is often misdiagnosed.

" I am a treating physician,'' he said. " I have seen more than 5,000

people

with bio-toxin illnesses.'' Shoemaker goes over a patient's medical

history

and any current symptoms and also administers a special eye exam.

A schedule has been set up for the doctor to see patients. He will be

available in the ship's infirmary from 8 a.m. to noon and 1-7 p.m. on

Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 5-9 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to noon on

Sunday.

The cruise ship is accessed from a dock in the 6400 block of East St.

Bernard Highway in Violet. It is a federal installation and visitors

are

subject to all posted rules.

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http://www.sbpg.net/cannizaro020806a.html

Mold Specialist To Visit St. Bernard

February 8 , 2006

By: Steve Cannizaro

Nationally known doctor to see St. Bernard patients on Scotia Prince

cruise

ship Thursday-Sunday and a mold toxicologist will inspect buildings

A doctor who is a nationally recognized authority on mold-related

illnesses

and a mold toxicologist will both visit St. Bernard Parish this

weekend, one

to examine residents with respiratory problems and the other to

speak with

parish officials as well as inspect buildings and homes, and both

are being

brought by the owner of the Scotia Prince cruise ship, according to

St.

Bernard Parish President Henry " Junior'' .

Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, an expert on biotoxins who has written books

and

appeared on national television news shows, will be on the Scotia

Prince

docked in the Mississippi River at Violet to examine St. Bernard

Parish

residents with respiratory problems on Thursday through Sunday.

Shoemaker, of Pocomoke, Md., author of the book " Mold Warriors,''

will see

patients in the cruise ship infirmary from 3-8 p.m. Thursday, 8

a.m. to 1

p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m. to 1

p.m. on

Sunday. Officials said they are arranging shuttle buses from the St.

Bernard medical clinic in Chalmette to bring some patients to the

ship.

The cruise ship is accessed from a dock in the 6400 block of East St.

Bernard Highway in Violet. It is a federal installation and visitors

are

subject to all posted rules.

Also, mold toxicologist Dr. Lipsey of ville, Fla.,

head of

Lipsey & Associates, will be in St. Bernard Parish from Friday

through

Sunday and will speak with parish officials about mold problems as

well as

inspect some buildings and homes, where samples will be taken, parish

officials said.

Shoemaker and Lipsey were invited to St. Bernard by Prof.

Hudson of

Virginia, owner of the company that operates the Scotia Prince.

" We're just trying to help where we can,'' Hudson said Wednesday in

explaining why he is bringing in the doctors. He and his wife have

also

adopted 10 families from St. Bernard who were victims of Hurricane

Katrina.