Breathing problems after handling old comics? 2 2

[kav]

Just now, mrc said:

.....really all you can do is shake out any particles from the books and then air them. Air them for a few days or even a couple of weeks. Fan the pages if you can. If after that you still get a reaction, then bin them. Your health is too important.

This is russian roullette.  An allergic reaction takes less of an antigen each time it manifests.  Get rid of the books.

[mrc]

1 minute ago, kav said:

This is russian roullette.  An allergic reaction takes less of an antigen each time it manifests.  Get rid of the books.

.....obviously don't air the books indoors, but point taken - get rid.

[Heavy-ish Metal]

I've started to become paranoid of ANY of my comics that smell musty... which is most of them. I suddenly feel unsure about keeping them

[James J Johnson]

13 minutes ago, kav said:

asbestos and fiberglass do not cause an allergic reaction.  Your bronchioles are constricting.  This is not an insulation issue.

I have absolutely no respiratory issues. Once, after changing out one speaker in a large older speaker cabinet, I started coughing as though I had anaphylactic shock. Thankfully, after feeling like my throat was going to completely close for about 5 minutes, it subsided and the coughing stopped. Never thought about it until later, that working inside inside the fiberglass-lined cabinet may caused that. 

[JollyComics]

33 minutes ago, Heavy-ish Metal said:

I've started to become paranoid of ANY of my comics that smell musty... which is most of them. I suddenly feel unsure about keeping them

Leave them in the garage. Open the books. Allow them for few days. See what happens.

[Artboy99]

you had an asthmatic reaction triggered by something in the pages of the comics/magazines.

It has happened to me as well. The trigger is likely mold related. Once you have had a reaction to mold it will happen again at a subsequent exposure.

Long term exposure to mold can develop into bronchitis. I used to work in an office that had a water leak from the restaurant above. They repaired the walls but never truly removed all the moisture damage and it got moldy. I used to get very sick working at that building on a frequent basis. Twice a year I would be off work due to severe bronchitis. I move to a new location and I have not had a sickness like it since. Been over 4 years now..

[kav]

48 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

I have absolutely no respiratory issues. Once, after changing out one speaker in a large older speaker cabinet, I started coughing as though I had anaphylactic shock. Thankfully, after feeling like my throat was going to completely close for about 5 minutes, it subsided and the coughing stopped. Never thought about it until later, that working inside inside the fiberglass-lined cabinet may caused that. 

Fiberglass dust can cause brief coughing and wheezing.  It does not cause bronchioles to be closed hours later as in OP case.  Typically to breathe enough fiberglass dust for this to occur, you would be able to see the dust.  Walking up to a fiberglass boat and sniffing it would do nothing.  You can even lick it.

Edited November 29, 2020 by kav

[Heavy-ish Metal]

Thanks for the replies everyone, appreciate all the help and ideas.

As far as looking out for mold...I know it can show as foxing on covers, but what about interiors? The issues giving me this problem just seem like the pages are yellowing from age but are otherwise in Fine/VF condition.

One thing that I notice when handling these is how rough and "grainy" the pages feel. I know this must just be the old paper texture, but in my head I'm wondering if I'm feeling some kind of grime or build-up from the decades and it's all flying up into my face as I'm flipping through.

[James J Johnson]

7 minutes ago, kav said:

Fiberglass dust can cause brief coughing and wheezing.  It does not cause bronchioles to be closed hours later as in OP case.  Typically to breathe enough fiberglass dust for this to occur, you would be able to see the dust.  Walking up to a fiberglass boat and sniffing it would do nothing.  You can even lick it.

This was a batting that lined the cabinet. Like a blanet of fibers, 1 inch thick sheets of it stapled to the inside walls. It was fibrous, not solid. Looked like sheeting of cotton candy. Maker must have thought that was best for baffling the sound rather than foam. 

Edited November 29, 2020 by James J Johnson

[kav]

3 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

This was a batting that lined the cabinet. Like a blanet of fibers, 1 inch thick sheets of it stapled to the inside walls. It was fibrous, not solid. Looked like sheeting of cotton candy. Maker must have thought that was best for baffling the sound rather than foam. 

Speakers are typically lined with polyester batting and sometimes fiberglass.  

[James J Johnson]

8 minutes ago, kav said:

Speakers are typically lined with polyester batting and sometimes fiberglass.  

We're talking about a cabinet made in the 70s, maybe even older, it looked like a standard Marshall cabinet that you typically see stacked but twice the size of that. It wasn't smooth at all like the fiberglass shell of a boat, it was coarse. I've seen the same thing in back of old refrigerators, between the coils and the metal back of the refrigerator, and also strips of it behind that usual metal kick piece below the door.  

 

It resembled this: 

https://www.amazon.com/UniTherm-Ceramic-Insulation-Blanket-Furnaces/dp/B07FQTV44D/ref=asc_df_B07FQTV44D/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=366300955128&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17787892587946742541&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9004421&hvtargid=pla-850730596727&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=73640184182&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=366300955128&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17787892587946742541&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9004421&hvtargid=pla-850730596727

Edited November 29, 2020 by James J Johnson

[bronze_rules]

I would try one Dark Horse Creepy collected hardcover in new condition. If no breathing issue, problem solved. You can find the whole run for 4 to 500 every now and then.  Dump all those items aggravating you. Why even take a chance ruining your health? If you absolutely insist, wear a 3m mask or some type of filtration while reading.

Edited November 29, 2020 by bronze_rules

[James J Johnson]

57 minutes ago, bronze_rules said:

I would try one Dark Horse Creepy collected hardcover in new condition. If no breathing issue, problem solved. You can find the whole run for 4 to 500 every now and then.  Dump all those items aggravating you. Why even take a chance ruining your health? If you absolutely insist, wear a 3m mask or some type of filtration while reading.

You may be on to something. It might not be the books. Physically that is. Could be the horror. It might be the content causing him to become breathless, panicked, and convulsive. It happened to me each and every time I'd come across pictures of my ex-wife's family.

[greggy]

Burn them along with the kav voodo doll you current possess. 

[1950's war comics]

14 hours ago, JollyComics said:

Leave them in the garage. Open the books. Allow them for few days. See what happens.

yep !! air them comics out !!

[JollyComics]

17 hours ago, Heavy-ish Metal said:

This is a GREAT explanation and makes a ton of sense. At first I was like "what are they talking about? I don't have any fiber glass in MY attic...." and then it hit me, I have no idea how these books and mags were stored before I got them. Their pages have yellowed heavily, which is no surprise for newsprint, and I'm sure they could have been kept in an environment where tons of particulates were finding their way to the books. Fiberglass is definitely a possibility, I lived in a room with some of that stuff poking out of the ceiling and it was impossible to get the itchy little pieces out of the room.

Well, I'm now fairly sad because I had just completed the run of Warren's 1984/1994 magazine and want to read it. But... I now don't think I should risk having these things up in my face if they leave me gasping for air!

Ask someone to open those magazines for you. Leave them opened for few more days.  Test them if you have any reactions or ask them to detect any smells. Wear the masks to handle them.  Just a precaution. Maybe someone will test each magazine if there is any foul smell.  You know what to do with them. 

[wilbil]

some very iffy and concerning advice in this thread.

[joeypost]

I am allergic to cats. I don't always know where the books I am working on come from, but I know immediately if they have or had cats. In addition to the gloves I wear, I always have a mask nearby. It is the only way I can get through working on books like these. Once done, out they go and I have to throw away everything I used on those books. Since it is short term it is an expensive solution, but not an issue. 

Your situation sounds a lot worse, and the safest route would be to move these books and buy ones you are able to handle before purchasing. Stink for sure, but better than dying from an anaphylactic episode. 

Edited November 29, 2020 by joeypost

[evilskip]

20 hours ago, James J Johnson said:

I had a co-worker that was killed by Aqualung. He was a roadie for Jethro Tull and the band's moving truck backed up over him! 

Feeling like a dead duck...

[bronze_rules]

20 hours ago, bronze_rules said:

I would try one Dark Horse Creepy collected hardcover in new condition. If no breathing issue, problem solved. You can find the whole run for 4 to 500 every now and then.  Dump all those items aggravating you. Why even take a chance ruining your health? If you absolutely insist, wear a 3m mask or some type of filtration while reading.

Sweet deal for 1st six sealed Creepy on EBAY right now! No one bid yet  (20 hours left) and that comes out to 33 per book. These six include the hardest to find and usually more expensive issues. Wish this deal was around when I started collecting them.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Creepy-Archives-Volumes-1-2-3-4-5-6-New-SEALED-Dark-Horse-HC-1st-Printing/133585855138?hash=item1f1a5662a2:g:F2UAAOSwxwdfu~4r