I Can’t Eat That. I’m Allergic.

When Robert Aronowitz sees friends he grew up with, he braces himself for their usual greeting. “Hey, Snot Nose. How are you doing?” Yes, “Snot Nose” was his nickname then, and even now, his friends like to remind him of it. “I was swept up twice a week from the streets of Brooklyn for allergy shots,” said Dr. Aronwwitz, a professor of history and sociology of science. Did they help? Did he even have allergies? “Who knows?” Dr. Aronowitz said. But that experience helps him understand the tendency today to blame allergies for tiredness, upset stomach, or any rash or illness. Food allergies are real and can be life-threatening. It would be folly to dismiss them. . read more.