Anaphylaxis and asthma in a scrimshander due to deer bone dust

A boilermaker who engraved deer bone (scrimshaw) as his artistic vocation developed recurrent anaphylaxis while scraping deer bones. These bones has been boiled in NaClO and dried, leaving residual NaOH and altered deer protein. He had recurrent episodes of anaphylaxis when exposed to the bone dust. The anaphylaxis appears to be the result of exposure of traumatized skin to NaOH and antigen with sufficient absorption of antigen to result in anaphylaxis, although inhalation may have been contributory. The most severe, near fatal episode of anaphylaxis may have been worsened by captopril. The patient's reaction by prick test to protein extracted in buffered saline from the deer bones boiled in NaClO and NaOH but not to natural deer protein suggested IgE antibody against deer protein altered by boiling in alkali. The scrimshander is now working with deer bone after prophylactic therapy and control of exposure.