Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-07-06
FACTS REGARDING
POISON IVY VINE
VERY LITTLE is TO BE FOUND IN
THIS VICINITY AND FEW HAVE
BEEN POISONED
1T SHOULD BE KNOWN
Tho Vine Ought to be Familiar to this
Sight Of Those Who Frequent tho
Woods or They Arc Not safe-Prop.
critics Are Peculiar.

Though not abundant in the vicin-
ity of Ottumwa poison ivy Is to be
found In the woods around here, aud
at this time OF the year. when every.
one Is spending more OF less time out
Of doors, tt Is well to be acquainted
with this plant SO as to be able to
avoid It aud so escape possible In
Jury. The real danger from this vine
ts greatly exaggerated In the minds
OF good many people, but the rash,
and IN some cases serious breaking
out ard swelling Of the limbs produced
BY It are, at the least, extremely disa-
greeable
Poison Ivy Is a member of the dog
wood family, and Of the subdivision Of
sumaohs of the family, it habitat is
very general. the species being found
over the entire country. It especially
prefers rocky soil in which some
kinds Of thick underbrush are abun.
dant, and for this reason is found
more frequently in the east than in
the west. Some Of the old walls Of
New England farms are literally held
together by its tendrils. In this vicin.
fty It Will be found in similar places,
climbing in waving masses over some
stone wall or ledge
The most distinctive difference be.
tween the dangerous poison ivy and
the ordinary variety lies in the fact
that the former has three leaves and
the latter five. Those of the poison
plant are more waxy on top than
those of its innocent neighbor. while
their under surfaces have a much
more pronounced coat Of down. Any
one once seeing the specimens side
by side can easily distinguish be-
tween them afterward.
One peculiar thing about the effects
OF this remarkable plant Is the fact
that While some persons are violently
poisoned by even coming in Its vicin
ity, others may handle 1t with impun
ity. This difference lies in the individ
ual. SOME persons being readily more
susceptible to any poison than others
On the whole, however, 1t Is we'll tc
know the poison plant by sight and tc
avoid It.
Poison ivy, scientifically Rhus toxi
| eodendron, belongs to a big family
spread over most parts Of the worlt
and including representatives of al
sizes from our own tender vine Ut
through bushes and shrubs to rea
trees. Almost ali OF them are more Of
less poisonous. but several OF them
are useful. and one. the Rhus verni
cifera. produces the juice out Of which
the Japanese make their precious lac
quer. That, too. by the way, is highly
poisonous In the early stages of It'll
preparation. and the men who work in
| 1t often suffer severely,
Just how our "ivy" does its harm
has been much debated, and was LONG
something Of a mystery, but the au
thordties now agree that the injurious
factor is slightly volatile oil that is
found in all parts Of the plant most
abundantly In the tenderer leaves
This oil sets up a tdernatitis" when
brought In contact with the skin, and
though many drugs are credited with
more or less curative power, none OF
them does much good after the vesi
cles have been formed The oil seems
to be nearly or quite insoluble in water
and ordinary abolutions after exposure
are quite useless, no matter how
vigorous. It is dissolved and removed
by alcohol, however and that--whis
ky will do-if applied quickly enough
will usually prevent trouble The mum
Der of people who can be poisoned by
the minute particles Of the oil which
float In the Air near the plant is for
tunately small. For them the only
safety lies In keeping away from it
Most people can pick the leaves with
out much danger If they are careful
not to let them touch the skin be
tween or on the back of the fingers.