The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-04-12
POISON IVY AND SUMACH.
Their Poison Is an Oil and Must I
Touched to Cause Trouble.


Touched to Cause Trouble.
Some results of the original investiga>
ton made by DR. Franz Pfaff and s.
Sanford Orr of the plants popularity
known as poison ivy and dOgwOOd, or
sunlach, are here for the first time made
public.
The work was begun, and is still going
on, at the instance of pr. Fl. p. Bow
ditch, professor of physiology at the Har-
ward medical school. The method of pro
ceaure and its many scientific niceties
must be left for the annals of science
Several principles We're isolated. One
OF these, an oil, alone was found active.
This was true of both plants, which be.
long to thu same family. The oil is thick,
insoluhle i'll water, and readily soluble III
alcohol, ether, etc. Its acts ON the skin
us Il vcsicant.
Two cases of poisoning have been
made, expermentally, with persons. In
one case Il drop of the oil was allowed to
remain on the PERSONS arm for ten hours,
then washed off thoroughly with soap
and water. 4 slight swelling with small
away in two days The finger nails had
been cut and the arm bandaged 50 that
the poison might not be mechanically cons
veyed to other parts Of the body. The at,
tack did not spread.
In the second case DR.. a. c.. Hubbard
showed his devotion to science by allow.
ing the poison to remain on his arm for
three days. AS result Il large area of
the forearm became involved in much in.
ilammation. with blistcrs and serious
emulation. This case terminated with the
use of zinc oxide and absolute cleanliness
in two weeks.
The poisonous oil, contrary to general
opinion, is absolutely non-volatile, and,
as it is very sticky. will cling persistent
~ htl Inh in
contact. The only treatment is to get
rid of the poison, that may still be on
the skin as quickly as possible. no mat
ter in what stage the eruption may be.
This can be done by vigorously washing
the, affected parts with soap and water
(using Il brush)
One of the eNpcrimenters. who was re-
peatelIy poisoned when first handling
the plant. could later avoid being poi
SOned altogether, no matter how much of
the plant he handled. even the extracted
oil, by washing we'll every thirty minutes
while using plant or oil. The setting up
OF an itching sensation was the warning
AS the oil is soluble il alcohol and gives
an insoluble lead compond in alcohol,
another way Of preventing an attack or.
if already present, its spreading, is to
wash the affected parts with an alcoholic
solution Of lead acetate. Thoroughness
W
only spread the poison.
If case has reached 4 stage of adj
vanced inflammation, the above treat
ment must be gone through with, and
the inflammation then treated as in the
ordinary way, by applications of hot or
cold WatC"
n Great Painter.
The great French painter, Bastien Le-
page, VIII" died lately. one Of whose mas
terpicces is in the Layton gallery, was
pursued by unmerciful disaster through
His mother worked in the fields to keep
that Sickly boy ut school. At Is he went
t" Paris alone, starved for seven years,
painted without success, but still-paint-
ed. He had just finished picture to
send to the salon when Paris was be-
sieged. and he rushed with his comrades
to the trenches.
studio and destroyed his picture, and
another shell fell at his feet, wounding
him. He was carried home and lay i'll
and idle for two years. Then he re-
turned to Paris, and, reduced to absolute
want. painted cheap fans for living
One day manufacturer of some patent
medicine ordered picture from him to
sincere. gave his best work to the ad-
vertisement. He painted landscape in
the April sunlight; the leaves of tender
green quivered in the breeze: Il group
of beautiful girls gathered around Il
fountain from which the elixir Of youth
sprans in a bubbling stream. Lepage
believed there was real merit in it.
Let me offer it at the salon." he
asked his patron.
The manufacturer was delighted. "But
first paint a rainbow arching over the
Fountain" he said, with the name of
my, medicine upon it," Lepage refused.
Then | will not pay you sou for the
pcture!' The price of this picture meant
bread for months, and the painter had
long needed bread. The chance of adj
mission to the salon was small. He hes
itated. Then he silenced his hunger and
carried the canvas to the salon. 1t was
admitted. Its great success insured Lee
page place in public recognition. and
his later work place among the great
est of living artists.