Ancestors of Allergy

Ancestors of Allergy is an abbreviated history of the origins and pioneers in the broader field of immunology. Beginning with accounts that stretch back thousands of years, Ancestors walks us through the rudimentary descriptions and treatments of allergies and asthma up through current times. For those interested in a brief but interesting history of those who discovered and shaped the study and treatment of these respiratory ailments, Ancestors is a quick, but excellent read.

Culture by culture, allergies and asthma have been described and treated. Over two thousand years ago the Chinese had identified asthma-like symptoms, such as wheezing, and were treating it with the ephedra plant. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates first coined the terms "asthma,” and the Greeks were the first to recognize pollen as a source of asthmatic symptoms. From the Egypt to China, India to the Americas, ancient civilizations often used a mix of religion and medicine to recognize and develop treatments for medical symptoms similar to what we more modernly describe as allergies and asthma.

In the 1600's with the advent of the microscope, researchers were able to begin studying microscopic particles that caused many of these ailments. With the invention of the stethoscope in 1816, discoveries and advances began to occur at a rapid pace. The practice of vaccination, with one byproduct being hypersensitivity (later recognized as anaphylactic shock), was first introduced and observed during this period. Though often uneven and disjointed, by the late 1800's there were individuals across the globe studying allergies and asthma. Their work laid the foundation for advances that would come during the 20th century.

The 20th century was a time of great change in the field of immunology. As research grew, those involved began carving a legitimate space for immunology studies in the larger field of medicine. Early on epinephrine was starting to gain ground as a treatment while the Leopold brothers developed the first dust-free and temperature- and humidity-controlled room, complete with a rudimentary air cleaning system, used to study and treat asthma, allergies and other respiratory ailments. Factors such as heredity and seasonal changes were more concretely linked to respiratory problems, and the identification of causative agents grew. During the 1930’s antihistamines and the basis for the skin prick test were also discovered, and the actual physiological basis for allergic and asthmatic reactions was outlined. All of these discoveries, some actively sought and some found by accident, sent the field speeding along while advances in pharmacology have brought us to where we are today.

Filled with excerpts from historical texts and pictures of the pioneers of the day, Ancestors gives us a general outline of how allergies and asthma have grown from a condition attributed to displeasing a deity to a branch of medicine studied on the molecular level. While it may seem a bit disjointed at times, it is good to remember that this is an abbreviated history that spans six continents and thousands of years. Ancestors reminds us that in spite of all the advances we have made, there is still much that is unknown, and as pharmacology continues to evolve so advances the understanding and treatment of allergies and asthma.