I myself have a deadly reaction-allergy to Peanuts, and particularly
Brazil Nuts, and Cashews.

It was said my first reaction occured at the age of 4 years old, at the
Thanksgiving Table, when I inadvertently placed just a Brazil Nut
"Shell" in my mouth, and had to be rushed to the hospital.

Over the years, I have never gotten any better tolerance to this, and
thoughout my whole life, I've had to be wary of Candy Bars, Birthday
Cakes, Cookies, etc, and always check the labels.

Yes, I've been fooled a few times with $100,000 Candy Bars, Zero Bars,
the "phony" Pistachios that they put on Cannolis nowadays, which are
actually dyed green peanuts, and relatives Birthday Cakes-Fruit Cakes,
and wound up in the Emergency Ward numerous , getting injected with
Diphenhydramine (More commonly known as Benadryl) The last trip 12
years ago, I spent 8 hours in the hospital, and my face, and eyes were
swollen for a week.

What happens, is my entire body begins to swell. Air Passageways, and
Eyes shut entirely.
Without medication, I cannnot see, as my eyes totaly swell shut, I
cannot breathe, my tongue swells to the size of a baseball, and my body
begins to break out all over in hives, and welts.

Without medication ASAP, I am a gonner. Benadryl always sits in my
fridge as a helpful Med until I can get to the Hospital.

Luckily, I am not so hypersensitive, that I am adversly affected by
others eating peanuts in my immediate vicinity, but I do get the
willies, and prefer not to be near those who partake in eating these
foods.

Others I've heard do have such a hypersensitivity, that being on an
airplane can cause a life threatening reaction, and I wonder just how
well Airplane personell are equipped to handle emergencies like this in
mid-flight.

A Peanut Allergy is actually not all that rare, and is one of the more
common allergies amongst people. Other common Allergies would be Milk,
Wheat Products, Shellfish, Aspirin, Antibiotics, Bee Stings, Fire Ant
Bites, and perhaps other bites such as Spiders, etc.

Knew a man in Florida who almost died, and went through 3 years of hell
from a Fire Ant Bite.

Oddly, I am not Allergic to Hazel Nuts, Almonds, Macadamia nuts,
Pistachios, Walnuts, or Pecans. Mark D.