Replies

1. 
   jonsherryl | Feb 02, 2004 07:38pm | #1

   Steve, there's a good chance it's no coincidence. Spalted wood can be toxic. There is clinical evidence that a mold that infects the European birch causes respiratory problems and there are reports of fatalities resulting from molds found in some Australian woods. So, if you're experiencing severe symptoms and they worsen or simply persist, it's probably worth a trip to the doctor.

2. 
   forestgirl | Feb 02, 2004 07:52pm | #2

   Ditto above re: caution.  You should always, always, always wear good breathing protection when working spalted wood.  In addition to that, I even go so far as to wear an old jacket and work-out pants over my clothes.  They come off before I go in the house, and get washed right away.

   I'd suggest you be sure and drink lots of liquids, keep close track of your temp and don't put off going to the doc if symptoms get worse.

   forestgirl Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)  you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)

   
   

   ---

   Edited 2/2/2004 11:55:17 AM ET by forestgirl

3. 
   forestgirl | Feb 02, 2004 07:54pm | #3

   PS:  What you have may not be a "chest cold" but more a generalized reaction to the invasion of the spalting organisms and dust.  Colds aren't usually accompanied by a fever.  The chest congestion would feel similar.

   forestgirl Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)  you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)

1. 
   sumpscot | Feb 02, 2004 08:06pm | #4

   Thanks for our prompt replys here, I'll increase my precautionary methods.

1. 
   forestgirl | Feb 02, 2004 08:55pm | #5

   I became thoroughly convinced of the nastiness of spalted wood when I made a couple of scroll-sawn Christmas ornaments with mildly spalted maple.  The stock was all of 4" square, not exactly like resawing a log or turning a bowl!  Gave me a headache and very yucky feeling nose and sinuses.  I'm prepping to resaw a log next week or so (riser kit pending), and am tempted to move the bandsaw outside to do it.forestgirl Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)  you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)

1. 
   sumpscot | Feb 02, 2004 09:25pm | #6

   thanks again, I'm going to resaw some spalted apple and will set up to vent it out. I'll report on the results. you too.

1. 
   Biscardi | Feb 03, 2004 01:43am | #7

   Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is an inflammatory, allergic reaction in the lung. It occurs when you are exposed to some antigen to which you have a preformed antibody specific to that antigen. You can work around such a substance for years and not develop problems for years and then become sensitized.

   The disease presents with fever, cough , occasionally chest pain and sometimes shortness of breath  or wheezing. You can get an immediate reaction when exposed or a delayed reaction 5 or 6 hours latter. Progressively worse symptoms can occur with repeated exposures. Chest x-rays can look like pneumonia and this can be mistaken for community acquired pneumonia.It is a hard diagnosis to make and can require bronchoscopy. Recurrent exposures can lead to fibrotic lung disease.

   This is not a nuisance dust irritation. It is an immunological response, so very small amounts of the antigen can make you terribly ill. The dust avoidance procedures most woodworkers use won't work in this setting.

   If you think you have this, send someone else into the shop to sweep/ dust/ mop everyting down and thorougly air the place out. See a doctor if your symptoms persist. If your doc doesn't sort it out ask to see a Pulmonolgist.

   Regards,

   Frank

2. 
   sumpscot | Feb 03, 2004 04:12am | #8

   Thank you, and thank you all for your informed responses , this was all I could hope for. this speaks well for this forum

3. 
   forestgirl | Feb 03, 2004 08:07am | #9

   Frank, hope you don't mind I bookmarked your information for future use.  May I quote you??forestgirl Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)  you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)

4. 
   EdHarrison | Feb 03, 2004 08:46pm | #10

   Frank,

   I got sick three years ago from the type of mold that grows on old redwood. I was on active duty, flying helicopters at the time, woodworking in my spare time in my basement shop. The Navy Flight Surgeons who were my doctors intitially diagnosed it as "walking pneumonia" and treated with antibiotics. They were even talking about an asthma workup due to the wheezing problems I was experiencing. It took a couple months of it going away then recurring to associate it with the redwood dust. They eventually treated it with steroids and I had to completely decontaminate my shop, as you mentioned above. I threw away all of that old redwood and once I completely removed any source of that dust I got well again.

   Very scary stuff. It was redwood that had been outside for over ten years that I was mostly resawing into 4/4. I am a healthy guy who runs 10-25 miles per week, does a lot of aerobic exercise and generally never gets sick. There is an article in "Fine Woodworking on the Small Workshop" titled "Health Hazards in Woodworking" that describes some respiratory ailments associated with wood dust. That led me and my Flight Surgeon to an internet search on the redwood mold problems.

   Scary stuff and your advice is well-founded. The part about it looking like pneumonia is definitely true, and I guess the diagnosis could get mixed up with things that normally occur in winter and cold and flu season.

5. 
   Biscardi | Feb 04, 2004 12:21am | #11

   Ed,

   Redwood is an interesting exception. Western redwood (not Virgina cypress) contains plicatic acid. This is a very small particle that does not cause an allergy per se. It does cause rather dramatic asthma. Rechallenges can make you fantastically ill. You were wise to steer clear of it.

   I never understood why it makes certain people ill and others not.

   Frank