JenniferSpartzAnnotation4HomeFront

Annotation 4 Mitman Chapter 4 – On the Home Front The book, //Breathing Space//, was written by Gregg Mitman. As an asthmatic, he understands the seriousness of the disease and the need for it to be continuously studied in a variety of ways as there is more than one cause of the illness. He also knows there are many different ways to try to control asthma triggers. This chapter is about how home environments have gone from safe havens to health concerns and how technology and research has evolved with this change. As indoor allergens were added to the list of allergy triggers, research and other studies were conducted to gain more understanding of what was considered an allergic reaction and what could be an allergen. During this time many technologies were built and advertised to purify air and control the home environment. As advancements in indoor heating, cooling, and ventilation began, the idea for freedom from nature became more prominent. While at the beginning, only the wealthy could afford these systems, others found ways to spend time inside, whether in the workplace or in more entertaining ways like the theater or watching baseball in the Houston Astrodome. Air-conditioning was expensive, so many people found cheaper ways to clean their personal environments. Some of the ways women did this within the home consisted of using vacuum cleaners, allergen proof bedding/furniture, non-allergenic make-up, and Dust-Seal. They also tried to control the emotions of a house hold to keep someone from having an asthma attack. At this point most allergens were thought to be biological elements, not chemical, so when homes began to get sealed up against the outdoors, the triggers of allergy attacks were not as clear. Two of the new types of indoor allergens include house dust, like dust mites, and tobacco smoke. These indoor allergens along with several other new ones caused the costs of asthma to increase throughout the country. “The costs in 1992 amounted to $6.2 billion – a 39 percent increase over similar estimates in 1985” (196). Even with this fact, some doctors refused to believe that chemical allergens existed. They preferred to believe that the sickness was more of a thought process. These findings prove that the indoor environment can be just as hazardous to one’s health as the outdoor environment. In the process of attempting to make the home environment a safer place to breathe, many people were adding in toxic vapors that, when they eventually sealed their home off, became allergy triggers. This shows that sometimes in the search of the cure for one problem, the possible outcomes of using the “cure” are overlooked and could result in being just as much, if not more, dangerous. Mitman discusses the trends of allergy cures since the early 1900’s as well as the medical beliefs that have gone along with the allergens involved. The author shows his expertise by demonstrating his knowledge and acceptance of a wide variety of asthma triggers. As an asthmatic he understands that everyone has different triggers and in order to stop the allergy symptoms as many as possible have to be studied. This chapter can contribute to the shared questions since it talks about the media advertising asthma “helpers,” whether that is medicine or things to help clean the home environment. It also gives a small insight into Mothers of Asthmatics, which is a group that shares helpful information on asthma and ways to prevent asthma attacks. It also helps us understand that indoor air quality and outdoor air quality need to be maintained. While indoor air is not regulated, it is still important for a family to maintain a clean environment to live in.