P.E.T.D.M.

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The People for the Ethical Treatment of Dust Mites (P.E.T.D.M.) request a boycott of The Allergy Clinic because they continually advise their allergic patients to murder innocent dust mites. People allergic to dust mites have been advised to place barriers over their pillow cases and mattresses to reduce exposure to them.

Well, guess what? That deprives them of their food, starving them to death. Even worse, these allergy doctors counsel patients to wash their bed sheets and blankets in hot water. Wet heat KILLS dust mites. Dust mites have never intentionally caused any problems for humans. Trapping them in high filtration vacuum cleaner bags is absolutely UNETHICAL! How can they enjoy life inside a vacuum cleaner bag? Wouldn't it be more humane if the allergist advised patients to relocate dust mites to a special shelter where they could live in peace, without fear of deadly human hunters? Maybe even a reservation on a large farm put aside just for them. You could leave all your old carpets there so the dust mites would sleep comfortably, and have trucks bring in human skin cells for them to feast upon.

Allergists at The Allergy Clinic have advised patients allergic to dust mites to keep household humidity between 35% and 50% to inhibit their growth. (You don't want it much lower than 35% or you may get dry skin or even a bloody nose). That dry air causes dust mites to shrivel up and prevents them from making baby mites! Masks don't kill dust mites and wearing one while vacuuming keeps the allergen out of your nose while the vacuum cleaner is stirring dust up. Yes, we know that you have a super-duper Dyson, or Kirby, or Rainbow vacuum. Keep in mind, though, that the expensive vacuum cleaner with the perfect exhaust system may keep allergens in the bag instead of just recirculating them into the air like old vacuums; but, the brush at the vacuum's entrance stirs up more dust than it sucks in and propels allergens into the air – right into the operator's nose!

So, yes, we agree, wear a mask. But other measures that kill dust mites? Is that really how you want to treat these beautiful creatures? Well, maybe not beautiful; but, please feel obligated to rescue these creatures from being slaughtered just so the allergic can breathe easier.

Finally, one last thing...JUST KIDDING!!

David B. Engler, MD

Note: Information contained in this article should not be considered a substitute for consultation with a board-certified allergist to address individual medical needs.