Free Republic

A clown has had the smile wiped off his face after being told he couldn't use balloons in his act because children might be allergic to latex. Barney Baloney said he was told by bosses at a supermarket where he was booked to appear that he should leave his balloons at home because of the potential for allergic reactions. The 47-year-old entertainer, also known as Tony Turner, has previously had to ditch his bubble-making machine because he could not get public liability insurance as companies assessed that youngsters might slip and hurt themselves.

LatexNatural rubber latex (NRL) has emerged over the last decade as an increasingly common trigger for anaphylaxis-producing allergies. It is found in a wide range of manufactured goods, including an estimated 40,000 common household items. Latex allergies now affect an estimated 1% to 6% of the U.S. population and the reasons for the increase in incidence can be attributed to biohazard precautions and manufacturing changes.1-3Latex allergy is an allergic sensitivity to the proteins in NRL that often worsens with each exposure, a phenomenon known as allergic sensitization. Allergic reactions to latex can range from moderate skin irritations to life-threatening anaphylaxis.You...

Faced with a lawsuit, the Bellingham Board of Library Trustees last night adopted a new policy banning latex balloons and gloves in the building.Patrick Callahan, whose 9-year-old son Andrew has severe latex allergy, said he is relieved. He has been fighting for three months to get the facility latex-free. "As long as we are in agreement, I will officially drop the case," he told trustees after a meeting in the library last night.Trouble brewed in February after a children's program in the library left balloon sculptures displayed in the building. Callahan said he asked library officials to remove the balloons...