Allergic Review: Great guide explores a complex medical mystery

Asthma symptoms can be related to allergies, but they can also be caused by other conditions.

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Allergic
Teresa Macphail (Allen Lane)

ON A AUGUST MORNING IN 1996, 47-year-old salesman James McPhail was stung by a bee while driving through his hometown in New Hampshire and died.

He didn’t know he was allergic to bees, but after being stung a few weeks ago, his immune system recognized the threat and redoubled its response, causing fatal anaphylactic shock.

His daughter Teresa marveled at the paradox of such a strong physical reaction that “in…