Hopkins Hospital drops latex gloves

Baltimore Sun, January 15, 2008

Johns Hopkins Hospital is credited as the first hospital to introduce latex gloves. Now it will be among the first to banish them. In an announcement, hospital officials said Hopkins has gone latex-free to prevent rare but severe allergic reactions that can include wheezing, rapid heartbeat and a sudden drop in blood pressure. Surgeons now have their pick of gloves made from two different materials.