Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-14
POISONOUS PLANTS.
wha* They Are and Some AntIdotes 70
Their Effects

What They Are and Some Antidotes 70
Their Effects.
Prof Wilson Flagg, says the st. Louis
Repabllcan, observes that it is important
that all who ramble in the woods should
be able to identify the poisonous plants,
not only that they may avoid them, but
that they may feel secure when such
plants are near them. Some OF the most
dangerous plant, which are used for medi-
cinal purposes may be handled with per-
feet safety. ] am not aware, on the other
hand. that any bad effects come from the
internal use OF the juices Of either of the
two poison sumaehs which cause violent
Inflammation when handled by certain
people. III l remember correctly. Kahn,
the Swedish botanist, tried variety ofex-
peTiments with the poison dog-wood- He
rubbed its leaves on his face and
hands and drank decOcti0n Of its leaves.
All this was done with impunity. If am
incorrect in this statement / would thank
any reader who has a correct knowledge
Of the facts to set me right. | have no
means of examining the source Of my in
formation. The Inflammation caused by
the poison ivy and the poison dOgwOod re-
sembles erysipelas; but it is not danger
Gus. 1t yields gradually to wash of a
weak solution Of sugar of lead. There is
popular belief that If one has suffered an
attack from it he is rendered more liable
to be affected by any future exposure to
the baneful influence of the plant. Ihaye
reason to believe this 10 be an error.
Some persons are very susceptible OF the
poison, while others are not affected by it
at all. But / have known persons who
were badly poisoned in their early
days who could. after becoming adults,
handle the plant with impunity. An
intelligent farmer, who had such expert
ence in his own case, believed that any
one who is subject to ivy or dOgw00d
poison might counterfeit his suscepti-
bility by frequently handling it. He
cited his own experience as proof of his
theory. Another theory is that the woods
are full of antidotes to the effects of ivy
and dogwood, and that the habit of many
persons of occasionally chewing the ends
of a pine twig is a preventative. The
chewing of the tender sprouts of the com
mon pear tree is also considered a safe
guard. | mention these notions with
out protesting any belief in them,
but they may be correct. II they
seem insignificant remedies, because
these plants have no powerful medicinal
qualities, we must consider that the two
noXious sumachs do not manifest any
properties of taste or smell that would
lead us to suspect their poisonous nature.
husu III On6 VI MS
essays, that it is not safe to declare that
any plant is wanting in medicinal virtue
on account of its deficiency ON taste or
smell, though he admits that the poison
Gus vegetables for the most part have
decidedly nauseous and disagreeable fla
vor. Opium is bitter and tobacco is pun
gent and nauseous.
But as these properties OF poisonous
plants do not exist in all species which
2 10 Iov,f 70. oil
sons who frequent the woods, either tor
labor or for recreation, to learn how to
determine upon their own safety. Now,
with regard to the poison dOgwood, may
say that it is not to be found in every
wood, though not a rare plant. 1t is an
elegant shrub, seldom tree, but appear
ing in clumps, like the common alder.
The leaf is pinnate, resembling that of
the American ash, but larger, and having
a greater NUMBER of broad, ovate leaflets.
AS have said in another essay, this tree
is equaled by no other species in our
woods for the splendor and variety of its
autumnal tints. There is more eX-
posture to the poison ivy, because it grows
everywhere. There is hardly a wood or
woody pasture in the lowlands that is not
covered with it, and hardly an old stone
wall that is not testOoned with its elegant
foliage. This climber resembles the .Vir-
2l0ld CIGED6I III lIS general dSlJbCb anu
climbing habits, and the two plants may
be distinguished by their leaves. The
leaf of each plant is compound, but the
ivy bears only three leaflets, while the
creeper has five in a whorl; hence,
when one is at loss to deter
mine the identity of the plant, he must
count its leaflets. Neither of the two
poison sumachs bears conspicuous
flower or fruit. The flowers and fruit are
greenish, small and without any beauty.
If one is doubtful, therefore, about the
bears a handsome flower or fruit, it is
neither the poison ivy nor the dOgwOod.
AS there is no other plant in our woods,
however, poisonous as drug, that may
not be safely handled, the rule given above
may insure anyone's safety.
In conclusion / would remark that l
cannot regard the poison ivy as very
dangerous plant; if it were more so we
should hear of more frequent instances of
its poisonous effects. AS it grows almost
everywhere it is hardly possible for par
ties to spend half day in the woods with
out frequently handling it. Some caution
is, nevertheless, advisable. If / had an
estate with trees near my house which
were covered with this beautiful climber
] should not remove it. l should consider
how extremely small is the liability of
any one to be affected by it, and that his
exposure would be greater in crossing
almost any rude pasture that contained
any shrubbery than by visiting my
grounds