ALLERGIES have become a way of life in Emporia this year. Explosive sneezes and hacking coughs have become regular additions to the sound track of the city and many, many Emporians view the world through red-rimmed, teary eyes.
Why is it such a bad year? Blame the long, wet spring, which has sent pollen and mold-spore counts soaring. Blame the wind, which has brought even more pollen, mold and dust to town from every point on the compass.
Allergies would not be so bad if allergy sufferers could get a bit more sympathy from their dried-eyed, free-breathing friends. But real sympathy is reserved for people with broken bones or multiple stitches. There is something sort of dashing about slings, casts, crutches and bandages.
But allergies? People with allergies always seem a little ridiculous. People do not appear at their best when they are sneezing, blowing their noses, wiping their eyes or scratching their itches.
Of course there are pills and sprays that can relieve the worst symptoms, but the medicines take their own toll. Many of them induce drowsiness. Those that don’t make people sleepy can still fog the mind.
Between the debilitating effects of the disorder and the debilitating effects of the medicines used to treat it, an allergy can have serious consequences.
Last week, The Times of London reported on a study that suggests that three-quarters of students who take medicine for hay fever “can expect to drop a grade in their exams this year as ingredients in the most popular remedies interfere with their ability to concentrate ... .”
What is true for the rose-cheeked children of Britain is probably also true for the sunburned kids of Kansas — probably more so, given the American tendency to try to solve every problem with a pill.
Can allergies cause our children to lose traction as they climb the long slope to the future? Common sense says yes.
Common sense also says that what is true for children is true for adults.
There may not be any midterms or finals in real life, but the pop quizzes never stop. In this year of epidemic allergies, adults may have lost a few points on their lifetime GPAs.
That would explain a lot about the current state of the nation.