Medicine: Totally Allergic

A tormented Briton seeks help

Sheila Rossall was on top of the world. She was attractive, she was a singer with the British pop group Pickettywitch, she even had a hit record to her credit. But three years ago, Rossall began exhibiting extreme sensitivity to virtually all man-made materials. Perfume, synthetic fibers, plastics and processed foods caused her to swell up and vomit. Forced to withdraw to a darkened, air-filtered room in Bristol, Rossall dropped down to 88 Ibs. and became too weak even to lift her head. She seemed fatally allergic to the 20th century.

In a last ditch effort to save...