Daily national Democrat., 1859-10-28

Poison OAK.-This shrub or vine is very
plentiful in California, and hundreds are
poisoned with it every year, we might say
every month. The cure of the poison from
this source is very difficult, and thousands of
remedies have been tried, all being of very
slow progress. DR.. Colbert A. Garfield. of
Santa Cruz, says he has found sure remedy,
and thus speaks of it in the Pacific Sentinel:
The only remedy that have found inva-
ridbLy successful as an antdote for this pois-
on is an indigenous plant growing very abun-
dantly in this vicinity and in other parts of
the State. 1t is tall, stout perennial; be-
longs to the Composite family and looks like
small sun flower. II is from one to tbrea
feet high has bright yellow flowers in heads
one to two inches in diameter, (and as have
said) like small sunfowers, Towering from
June to October Before Towering. the nm
expanded heads or buds secrcte a quantity
of resinous matter, white and stickv-like
balsam. that is finally. after the flower ex-
pands, distributed over the petals. DC of tho
flower like varnish. The whole plant dow
ers leaves and all-is resinous and yiscid =
When it grows in dry hills is stiff and rigid
with narrow, thin leaves but in damn In.
calties it is more robust and sueculent. with
wide. fieshy leaves. Its botanical name is
Grindeliy hirSutuld and G. ro6usta; but |
have not been able to find more than one
species, and all the different forms possess the
same remedial virtues.
The mode Of using 1t is as follows: One
may bruise She fresh herb and apply it bv
rubbing over the parts affected or boiling
1t in covered vessel; make strong decoc-
ton of the fresh or dried herb, with which to
wash the poisoned surfaces. Its remedial
properties appear to be contained chiefly in
the resin or balsam-like juice of the plant
which is particularly abundant Oh the sur
face. One application is sometimes sufficient
for cure; but if the disease is of long dn-
ration, several days will elapse before relief
is obtained.
This plant is a remedy for the poison oak
used originally by the Indians Of this vicini-
ty, and by them its virtues have been com
municated to the Spanish Californian people
who are now commencing to use it.
became acquainted with it in the follow
ing manner: A lady acquaintance of mine
was poisoned in early youth by the poison
oak, and there resulted a cutaneous affection
similar to 'salt rheum, fiery, burning. in
supPortable-that would not yield to renee
dies or he skill of good physicians. She
underwent cauterization and blistering; she
took mercury and other powerful remedies.
iodine, sarsaparilla-all to no purpose. Her
hands were covered with deep ulcers, and
her wrists and arms with an eruption that
tormented her day and night. Nothing re.
lieved her She married in the meantime
and had family of fine, healthy children.
but she did not get rid of her affliction. At
length, she believing that the disease was not
salt rheum" not anything more nor less than
the effects of poison oak was induced to use
the remedy | have described; and very
few applications were sufficient to heal up
the ulcers and cure her entirely. She has
never been troubled with any cutaneous
eruption since that time, although several
years have now elapsed.