RE: New Orleans Area Environmental Quality Test Results-New Orlea...

[Guest guest]

Just as some further pespective, the Red RIver flooring of 1992 was also over a month long. With homes under water this long just as in NOLA Mold and muck certainly was just as much of a problem in homes back then as it is now in NOLA. But mold was not a "hot issue" like it is today. I am not aware of any published public health studies that claiming health problems in people returning to their home back then. There is at least one published mold (settled plate) study that was done.over a 3 month period showing decreasing levels in a test home.It wlll be intertesting to see if someone performs a prospective epi study on returning people to find out if there is any long term health implications.BOB

Hi Bob,

That is the million dollar question: Why are people becoming ill with respiratory illnesses after an excessive exposure to mold today and they weren't in the early 90's. Is it just that people are more aware? I don't think so. If you had massive "Red River Cough", whether they made the connection to mold or not, it seems to me, there would have been documentation of increased respiratory illness after the flood. I don't believe there was, that I am aware.

Look at this article regarding Valley Fever. In Arizona, it has a 330% increase in incidence since 1990. This one cannot be explained by current construction standards/materials that have gotten wet. Something is out of kelter between what happened in Red River in 1992, and what is happening in New Orleans today. What is it?

Sharon

Valley fever continues to rise in Arizonahttp://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4135904 & nav=HMO6PHOENIX Valley fever infections continue to climb in Arizona.Health officials say half of all cases in the country are now being contracted in Maricopa County.Researchers are still trying to figure out why the number of cases keeps growing.This year, 33-hundred cases of the airborne fungal disease are expected to be reported, compared to less than one-thousand annually during the 1990s.An epidemiologist with Arizona Department of Health Services says next to the flu and sexually transmitted diseases, Valley fever is the most commonly reported infectious disease in Arizona.Valley fever is caused by a fungus in desert soil.When dirt is kicked up by digging or from wind, construction or dust storms _ the fungus releases spores that, when inhaled, can lead to infection.___On the Net:Valley Fever Center for Excellence: http://www.vfce.arizona.edu

[Guest guest]

Bob,

I worked for USDA and another agency involving the Red River Floods. The biological test information (over 3,000 samples) was given to the agency I was hired by. Unique to the Grand Forks community are many farms, with considerable amount of them cattle and pig farms. The results of my study of 3-4 months directly after flooding reported very high levels of mold in buildings and gram negative bacteria. I was fortunate to return to the area six months later and repeat parts of the study which found outdoor control levels to be higher than expected. As a disclaimer, I wanted to check the community seasonally over two years to determine statistically valid baseline values and I was not funded to complete that study.

-----Original Message-----From: iequality [mailto:iequality ] On Behalf Of snk1955@...Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 8:26 AMTo: iequality Subject: Re: New Orleans Area Environmental Quality Test Results-New Orlea...

Just as some further pespective, the Red RIver flooring of 1992 was also over a month long. With homes under water this long just as in NOLA Mold and muck certainly was just as much of a problem in homes back then as it is now in NOLA. But mold was not a "hot issue" like it is today. I am not aware of any published public health studies that claiming health problems in people returning to their home back then. There is at least one published mold (settled plate) study that was done.over a 3 month period showing decreasing levels in a test home.It wlll be intertesting to see if someone performs a prospective epi study on returning people to find out if there is any long term health implications.BOB

Hi Bob,

That is the million dollar question: Why are people becoming ill with respiratory illnesses after an excessive exposure to mold today and they weren't in the early 90's. Is it just that people are more aware? I don't think so. If you had massive "Red River Cough", whether they made the connection to mold or not, it seems to me, there would have been documentation of increased respiratory illness after the flood. I don't believe there was, that I am aware.

Look at this article regarding Valley Fever. In Arizona, it has a 330% increase in incidence since 1990. This one cannot be explained by current construction standards/materials that have gotten wet. Something is out of kelter between what happened in Red River in 1992, and what is happening in New Orleans today. What is it?

Sharon

Valley fever continues to rise in Arizonahttp://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4135904 & nav=HMO6PHOENIX Valley fever infections continue to climb in Arizona.Health officials say half of all cases in the country are now being contracted in Maricopa County.Researchers are still trying to figure out why the number of cases keeps growing.This year, 33-hundred cases of the airborne fungal disease are expected to be reported, compared to less than one-thousand annually during the 1990s.An epidemiologist with Arizona Department of Health Services says next to the flu and sexually transmitted diseases, Valley fever is the most commonly reported infectious disease in Arizona.Valley fever is caused by a fungus in desert soil.When dirt is kicked up by digging or from wind, construction or dust storms _ the fungus releases spores that, when inhaled, can lead to infection.___On the Net:Valley Fever Center for Excellence: http://www.vfce.arizona.edu

[Guest guest]

Question – since when did “increased inhaled molds = increased infectious illness�

HI,

As I understand it and according to your collegues in Arizona and the CDC, forever.

CDC Mold | 2005 Mold Report - Chapter 5 - Potential Effects of Fungal Contamination on Health

"Fungal Infections

Infection with fungal species that contaminated buildings, building constituents, and the environment after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is an important concern. In general, individuals with impaired host defenses (especially if impaired because of cell-mediated immunity or neutropenia) suffer the most severe types of fungal infections (Table 3). However, invasive fungal infections can also occur in individuals with normal host defenses and, in certain situations, can even be life threatening (Table 4)."

Valley fever continues to rise in Arizonahttp://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4135904 & nav=HMO6PHOENIX Valley fever infections continue to climb in Arizona.

"An epidemiologist with Arizona Department of Health Services says next to the flu and sexually transmitted diseases, Valley fever is the most commonly reported infectious disease in Arizona.Valley fever is caused by a fungus in desert soil.When dirt is kicked up by digging or from wind, construction or dust storms _ the fungus releases spores that, when inhaled, can lead to infection."

I get confused though. What is the difference between say, Valley Fever that they call an infection and Farmer's lung, that they call a hypersensitivity reaction? Wouldn't Farmer's lung simply be an infection of fungi in the lung? And Farmer's lung, if left untreated can become systemic with symptons indicative of serum sickness. So wouldn't that systemic manifestation of Farmer's lung be considered and systemic infection of fungi?

Sharon Kramer

[Guest guest]

Sharon –

Being in Northern

AZ, we don’t see much

Valley Fever up here, as it tends to be found at elevations below 3000 ft.

There is a major building boom in this state. It

would seem to make sense for an increase in the amount of Valley fever cases,

as more developments = more dust = more release of spores, etc. as this fungus

thrives in desert soils with low rainfall.

See: http://www.vfce.arizona.edu/

for more info on Valley Fever.

Stacey Champion

Owner/Consultant

Champion Indoor Environmental Services

PO Box 3332

Cottonwood, AZ

86326

Tel. Fax

sc@...

From: iequality [mailto:iequality ] On Behalf Of snk1955@...

Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005

9:26 AM

To: iequality

Subject: Re: New

Orleans Area Environmental Quality Test Results-New Orlea...

In a message dated 11/18/2005 7:35:29 AM

Pacific Standard Time, BobB@... writes:

Just as some further pespective, the Red RIver flooring of 1992 was

also over a month long. With homes under water this long just as in

NOLA Mold and muck certainly was just as much of a problem in homes

back then as it is now in NOLA. But mold was not a " hot

issue " like

it is today. I am not aware of any published public health studies

that claiming health problems in people returning to their home back

then. There is at least one published mold (settled plate) study that

was done.over a 3 month period showing decreasing levels in a test

home.

It wlll be intertesting to see if someone performs a prospective epi

study on returning people to find out if there is any long term health

implications.

BOB

Hi Bob,

That is the million dollar

question: Why are people becoming ill with respiratory illnesses

after an excessive exposure to mold today and they weren't in the

early 90's. Is it just that people are more aware? I don't think

so. If you had massive " Red River Cough " , whether they made the

connection to mold or not, it seems to me, there would have been documentation

of increased respiratory illness after the flood. I don't believe there

was, that I am aware.

Look at this article regarding

Valley Fever. In Arizona,

it has a 330% increase in incidence since 1990. This one cannot be

explained by current construction standards/materials that have gotten wet.

Something is out of kelter between what happened in Red River in 1992, and what

is happening in New Orleans

today. What is it?

Sharon

Valley

fever continues to rise in Arizona

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4135904 & nav=HMO6

PHOENIX Valley

fever infections continue to climb in Arizona.

Health officials say half of all cases in the country are now being

contracted in Maricopa

County.

Researchers are still trying to figure out why the number of cases

keeps growing.

This year, 33-hundred cases of the airborne fungal disease are

expected to be reported, compared to less than one-thousand annually

during the 1990s.

An epidemiologist with Arizona Department of Health Services says

next to the flu and sexually transmitted diseases, Valley fever is

the most commonly reported infectious disease in Arizona.

Valley fever is caused by a fungus in desert soil.

When dirt is kicked up by digging or from wind, construction or dust

storms _ the fungus releases spores that, when inhaled, can lead to

infection.

___

On the Net:

Valley Fever Center

for Excellence: http://www.vfce.arizona.edu

[Guest guest]

Question – since when did “increased

inhaled molds = increased infectious illness”?

N. Walsh

Louisiana State University

Health & Safety Officer

twalsh@...

From: iequality

[mailto:iequality ] On Behalf

Of snk1955@...

Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005

12:21 PM

To: iequality

Subject: Re: New

Orleans Area Environmental Quality Test Results-New Orlea...

In a message dated 11/18/2005 9:58:55 AM

Pacific Standard Time, pmoffett@... writes:

Bob,

I worked for USDA and another

agency involving the Red River Floods. The biological test information

(over 3,000 samples) was given to the agency I was hired by. Unique to the

Grand Forks community are many farms, with considerable amount of

them cattle and pig farms. The results of my study of 3-4 months directly after

flooding reported very high levels of mold in buildings and gram negative

bacteria. I was fortunate to return to the area six months later and repeat

parts of the study which found outdoor control levels to be higher than

expected. As a disclaimer, I wanted to check the community seasonally over two

years to determine statistically valid baseline values and I was not funded to

complete that study.

and ,

that makes sense. So, with New

Orleans currently experiencing a situation where airborne molds are currently

prevelant, why are they not making a correlation to increased inhaled molds =

increased infectious illness? Mysterious Katrian Cough? Give me a

break!

, if what you noted is true, then

why was there not a noted increase in respiratory illness at Red River, when

there is now in construction areas of Arizona and the city of New

Orleans? What was different at Red River?

Sharon

[Guest guest]

Dr. Walsh,

So glad to see somebody besides me, rants over the medical implications of this issue.

Okay, now my turn:

I need to clarify my previous post. I should have said – since when did “increased inhaled molds (necessarily) = increased infectious illnessâ€? Key word being “necessarilyâ€.

So are you saying "Yes, it does cause infectios disease, but not always"? So does that mean that those who are experiencing the severe illnesses indicative of mycoses or mycotoxicoses after excessive mold and or mold toxin exposure should not be able to find viable medical treatment, because not everyone is as sick as they are?

Can you determine which will necessarily and which will not necessarily experience these illnesses?

What protocol would you use to either diagnose and treat or rule out, someone who is exhibiting symptoms indicative of mycoses or mycotoxicoses?

Of course people are having allergic reactions, and yes data will eventually show that some infections (fungal, viral and bacterial) resulted from the clean-up, but do you suggest we halt or impede the clean-up.

Not in the least. Right now the environment in New Orleans has to be cleaned up by someone. And, it's a given some will become sicker than others. All I am saying is it is not ethically correct, in my opinion, to pretend like these people are not legitimately ill with serious mold induced illness, simply because it is not financially feasible to acknowledge these illnesses... because of the increased financial liability the recognition of the cause of these illnesses creates in the courtrooms of America. (Don't mean to be harsh...just blunt, direct and truthful)

If we are not or cannot protect these people from becoming ill, then for Godsakes, we ought to at least properly treat them when they become ill. What's happening instead is that when people experience mold and mycotoxin illness in the form of cognitive and neurological dysfunctions, it is being chalked up to stress and mistreated with antidepressants. When the illnesses progress into more severe physical manifestations, it is then being chalked up to stress on the immune system causing physical illness. The University of Mississippi, (my alma mater!) has grant money where ALLERGISTS from the ACAAI, are studying how the stress of Katrina is causing serious physical illness. And gee, do you think these symptoms of serious physical illness might be eerily similar to mycoses and mycotoxices? Give me a break!

Some of you seem focused on some kind of conspiracy theory that the government is out to kill us all … maybe they are, but it isn’t going to be by mold in the air of New Orleans while a city and a state attempts to right itself after being knocked on it’s butt.

Yes, New Orleans makes for quite a quandry in what is being denied as legitimate mold induced illnesses in an effort to limit liability in the courtrooms. Would not call it a conspiracy theory. Would call it a well strategized marketing campaign orchestrated by a couple of damn good political think tanks out of New York and DC. Could provide names, dates, supeoned emails, under oath testimonies, etc. But Jim would probably censor me if I did! It is a pretty easy trail to follow. In about Sept of 2001, an orchestrated effort was initiated by stakeholder industries to stifle medical understanding of mold induced illnesses in order to limit financial liability in the courtroom. It does not take a brain surgeon to follow the trail or understand the reason for the trail.

Here is just one lovely little document indicative of the situation. It's from the National School Board Association. Addresses how when teachers and children complain of environmental illness brought on by negligent maintenance how to shut 'em down in court. NICE!!!!!

http://www.nsba.org/site/docs/11400/11340.pdf

Do you really believe everyone down here is so ignorant as to not take precautions to protect themselves?

No, not everyone. Just those who are reading WebMD, listening to the braodcast CDC warning of "little evidence of illness from mold and mycotoxins." and those who speak English as second language and do whatever they are told so they can send money back to their families.

You are not seriously trying to say that all residents who are in the process of cleaning up massive amounts of mold within their homes are aware of the need for N95 respirators, are you? Are you saying all the illegal aliens who have been brought in to do the grunt work are being provided with these as is recommended by OSHA, EPA, etc?

Reasonable people, both returning residents and reputable contractors, are protecting themselves during the clean-up process from exposure to the many airborne contaminants in N.O. as well as other areas of the state impacted by the second hurricane (Rita). Of course there are people who choose to ignore the precautions and contractors who don’t protect their workers … what else is new.

What else is new? How about the extreme illness some of these priorly healthy yet, uninformed workers and residents will soon have in their lives because there are "people who choose to ignore the precautions and contractors who don’t protect their workers". How about the increase in medical costs we will all bear because of the unnecessarily misdiagnosed and untreated illness brought on by those who choose to look the other way?

As far as infections, keep in mind that hundreds of thousands of people who lost their homes have been crammed into shelters, homes and trailer parks for over 10 weeks under less than sanitary conditions in many cases. You can only imagine the stress they have been under that leaves, even the healthy immune system, compromised to some degree.

Bingo! There's the mantra!

That’s not even mentioning the people with existing illness. Then gradually they begin to clean-up which so far amounts to clearing a path/street to the destruction they once called home. Yesterday it was announced that banks would be foreclosing on over 100,000 home mortgages, most of which can’t be cleaned because they are uninhabitable or demolished. Respiratory distress? Ya Think?!!! Heck, I’d need to keep a paper bag nearby for when I hyperventilated every few minutes.

So are you saying that inhaling, touching or digesting molds and mycotoxins should NOT be investigated and either treated or ruled out as a possibility of causation for these illnesses?

What would be the medical professional's logic behind one chalking cognitive and neurological symptoms up to stress without investigating molds and mycotoxins as potential root of illness, when it has long been understood that these antigens can and do produce these symptoms?

So yes, there are absolutely a large number of people with varying degrees of respiratory distress that cover the gamut. You can call it the media driven catch phrase “Katrina Cough†if you want, or you can call it what it is - a logical health symptom in the aftermath of a massive disaster during the restoration process.

I prefer to call it "a logical health symptom in the aftermath of a massive disaster during the restoration process". So what are you all doing to address "these logical health symptoms in the aftermath of a massive disater during the restoration process"...besides handing out handfuls of Prozac and useless allergy medicine?

I’m done ranting now. Thank you … Thank you very much … and goodnight. J Sigh of relief.

N. Walsh

Louisiana State University

It's a huge problem in New Orleans. It is a given people will become ill while doing what is necessary to clean up this mess. But don't compound the devastation of Katrina by trying to sweep these legitimate and in many cases unaviodable illnesses under the rug of stress induced psychological problems. Teach the physicians how to recognize, diagnose and treat mycotic diseases. Now I am done ranting!

Sharon Kramer

Health & Safety Officer

[Guest guest]

Sharon –

Let’s please not forget about bacteria, dust, VOC’s, etc.; which is a point I’ve made several times. Tom made some very good points that were very realistic. I would be just as concerned about Hepatitis, as I would be about mold in that situation…

S.C.

Hey ,

Yes, I totally agree. Just because someone in New Orleans is sick, does not mean that it is mold or mycotoxin induced. At the same time, one cannot rule out this as the causation of illness without investigating it as the cause. Currently, it is not being investigated and the physicians are not being trained to investigate this - primarily, I am not talking of classic allergic reactions - I am talking of the cognitive and neurological that can be early signs indicative of serious mold/toxin induced illnesses, that if left untreated cause a vast aray of serious and sometimes permanently dilbilitating illness.

It is ludicrous NOT to investigate this as a possible cause in light of the well documented poor air quality, excessive mold growth, from both within and without structures in New Orleans.

There is a stigma for those who experience these illnesses, as they have been wrongly portrayed as simply feining illness in an attempt to gain money through litigation. There is a strong resistance and peer pressure within the medical community to look the other way regarding these illnesses. Please do not misunderstand. I am of the opinion the vast majority of physicians are honorable men doing what they think is right. But I also KNOW they are being barraged with much intentional mixed and misinformation of the matter.

I am not really interested in paying for the increase in medical costs from all the unnecessary, MRI's, CT's, Bloodwork, AIDS tests, steriod - antidepressant prescriptions, etc that this situation is causing. Not to mention those who were priorly contributing members of society that are now a burden because their illnesses were allowed to progress. Are you?

Here is a real simple question indicative of the situation: Why is the CDC NOT promoting the UConn Clinician's Guidance on Moisture & Mold in the Indoor Environment ?

Teach the physicians how to recognize, diagnose and treat mycotic disease...or investigated it and rule it out.

Sharon.

PS. What are you doing responding to this? I thought you hated this line of posts! lol

[Guest guest]

If the ambient or external levels of mould are so high, how can any

building restored from flood damage be cleared by IAQ

certification?

Will

this mean that nobody will or could provide clearance or will certification

purely be based on comparisons which may not mean anything regarding a healthy

environment? Could restoration be said to be a waste of time at the moment?

Jeff Charlton

London

[Guest guest]

Sharon –

Let’s please not forget about bacteria, dust, VOC’s, etc.;

which is a point I’ve made several times. Tom made some very good points that

were very realistic. I would be just as concerned about Hepatitis, as I would

be about mold in that situation…

S.C.

From: iequality [mailto:iequality ] On Behalf Of snk1955@...

Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2005

11:52 AM

To: iequality

Subject: Re: New

Orleans Area Environmental Quality Test Results-New Orlea...

Dr. Walsh,

So glad to see somebody besides me, rants

over the medical implications of this issue.

Okay, now my turn:

In a message dated 11/19/2005 8:02:37 AM

Pacific Standard Time, twalsh@... writes:

I need to clarify my previous post. I should have said – since when

did “increased inhaled molds (necessarily) = increased infectious

illness”? Key word being “necessarily”.

So are you saying " Yes, it does

cause infectios disease, but not always " ? So does that mean that those

who are experiencing the severe illnesses indicative of mycoses or

mycotoxicoses after excessive mold and or mold toxin exposure should not

be able to find viable medical treatment, because not everyone is as sick as

they are?

Can you determine which will necessarily

and which will not necessarily experience these illnesses?

What protocol would you use to either

diagnose and treat or rule out, someone who is exhibiting symptoms

indicative of mycoses or mycotoxicoses?

Of course people are having allergic reactions, and yes data will

eventually show that some infections (fungal, viral and bacterial) resulted

from the clean-up, but do you suggest we halt or impede the clean-up.

Not in the least. Right now the

environment in New Orleans

has to be cleaned up by someone. And, it's a given some will become

sicker than others. All I am saying is it is not ethically correct, in my

opinion, to pretend like these people are not legitimately ill with serious

mold induced illness, simply because it is not financially feasible to

acknowledge these illnesses... because of the increased financial liability the

recognition of the cause of these illnesses creates in the courtrooms of

America. (Don't mean to be harsh...just blunt, direct and truthful)

If we are not or cannot protect these

people from becoming ill, then for Godsakes, we ought to at least properly

treat them when they become ill. What's happening instead is that when people

experience mold and mycotoxin illness in the form of cognitive and neurological

dysfunctions, it is being chalked up to stress and mistreated with

antidepressants. When the illnesses progress into more severe physical

manifestations, it is then being chalked up to stress on the immune system

causing physical illness. The University

of Mississippi, (my alma

mater!) has grant money where ALLERGISTS from the ACAAI, are studying

how the stress of Katrina is causing serious physical illness. And gee,

do you think these symptoms of serious physical illness might be eerily similar

to mycoses and mycotoxices? Give me a break!

Some of you seem focused on some kind of conspiracy theory that the

government is out to kill us all … maybe they are, but it isn’t going to be by

mold in the air of New Orleans while a city and a state attempts to right

itself after being knocked on it’s butt.

Yes, New Orleans makes for quite a quandry in what

is being denied as legitimate mold induced illnesses in an effort to limit

liability in the courtrooms. Would not call it a conspiracy theory.

Would call it a well strategized marketing campaign orchestrated by a

couple of damn good political think tanks out of New York and DC. Could provide names,

dates, supeoned emails, under oath testimonies, etc. But Jim would

probably censor me if I did! It is a pretty easy trail to follow. In

about Sept of 2001, an orchestrated effort was initiated by stakeholder

industries to stifle medical understanding of mold induced illnesses in order

to limit financial liability in the courtroom. It does not take a brain surgeon

to follow the trail or understand the reason for the trail.

Here is just one lovely little document

indicative of the situation. It's from the National School

Board Association. Addresses how when teachers and children

complain of environmental illness brought on by negligent maintenance how

to shut 'em down in court. NICE!!!!!

http://www.nsba.org/site/docs/11400/11340.pdf

Do you really believe everyone down here is so ignorant as to not

take precautions to protect themselves?

No, not everyone. Just those who

are reading WebMD, listening to the braodcast CDC warning of " little

evidence of illness from mold and mycotoxins. " and those who speak English

as second language and do whatever they are told so they can send money back to

their families.

You are not seriously trying to say that

all residents who are in the process of cleaning up massive amounts of mold

within their homes are aware of the need for N95 respirators, are you?

Are you saying all the illegal aliens who have been brought in to do the grunt

work are being provided with these as is recommended by OSHA, EPA, etc?

Reasonable people, both returning residents and reputable

contractors, are protecting themselves during the clean-up process from

exposure to the many airborne contaminants in N.O. as well as other areas of

the state impacted by the second hurricane (Rita). Of course there are people

who choose to ignore the precautions and contractors who don’t protect their workers

… what else is new.

What else is new? How about the

extreme illness some of these priorly healthy yet, uninformed workers and

residents will soon have in their lives because there are " people who

choose to ignore the precautions and contractors who don’t protect their

workers " . How about the increase in medical costs we will all bear because

of the unnecessarily misdiagnosed and untreated illness brought on by

those who choose to look the other way?

As far as infections, keep in mind that hundreds of thousands of

people who lost their homes have been crammed into shelters, homes and trailer

parks for over 10 weeks under less than sanitary conditions in many cases. You

can only imagine the stress they have been under that leaves, even the healthy immune

system, compromised to some degree.

Bingo! There's the mantra!

That’s not even mentioning the people with existing illness. Then

gradually they begin to clean-up which so far amounts to clearing a path/street

to the destruction they once called home. Yesterday it was announced that banks

would be foreclosing on over 100,000 home mortgages, most of which can’t be

cleaned because they are uninhabitable or demolished. Respiratory distress? Ya

Think?!!! Heck, I’d need to keep a paper bag nearby for when I hyperventilated

every few minutes.

So are you saying that inhaling, touching

or digesting molds and mycotoxins should NOT be investigated and

either treated or ruled out as a possibility of causation for these illnesses?

What would be the medical professional's logic

behind one chalking cognitive and neurological symptoms up to stress

without investigating molds and mycotoxins as potential root of illness, when

it has long been understood that these antigens can and do produce these

symptoms?

So yes, there are absolutely a large number of people with varying

degrees of respiratory distress that cover the gamut. You can call it the media

driven catch phrase “Katrina Cough” if you want, or you can call it what it is

- a logical health symptom in the aftermath of a massive disaster during the

restoration process.

I prefer to call it " a logical

health symptom in the aftermath of a massive disaster during the restoration

process " . So what are you all doing to address " these logical health

symptoms in the aftermath of a massive disater during the restoration

process " ...besides handing out handfuls of Prozac and useless allergy

medicine?

I’m done ranting now. Thank you … Thank you very much … and

goodnight. J Sigh of relief.

N. Walsh

Louisiana State University

It's a huge problem in New Orleans. It is a given people will become

ill while doing what is necessary to clean up this mess. But don't

compound the devastation of Katrina by trying to sweep these legitimate and in

many cases unaviodable illnesses under the rug of stress induced

psychological problems. Teach the physicians how to recognize, diagnose and

treat mycotic diseases. Now I am done ranting!

Sharon Kramer

Health & Safety Officer