The Hartford republican., 1913-12-26
MANY POISONING
WOODS Are FOUND
Some Trees Are Dangerous and
Cause Severe Skin
Eruptions.

mae are by no means the only plants
which have a poisonous effect on
the human skin. Poisonous substance
exist in many trees, and even after
they have been cut and sawed a SUI
ric,ont quantity of the poison remains
in the lumber so that wOrkmen who
handle it are liable to infection.
Amber wood is impregnated with
powerful poison, according to DR..
BinZ Graf, who has been investi-
eating the subject for the German
Botanical Society.
Two different kinds of wood are
included under the term underwood
-ihe genuine East Indian or Asia
tic satinwood or underwood. The tw
are quite different in external appear
ance. Nestler succeeded in extract
ing the active substance only from
the latter. This is a stearinlike SUD-
stance soluble only in ether. A small
,inantity of it FACED in contact with
the skin OF the underarm, in the cour
of about five hours produced tense
Iy swollen yellowish blister surround
sd by a red area of Inflammation.
After the bursting of tn, blister an
ulcer remained, which required four
weeks to heal.
WHAT is known as "cocobolo" wood
cUnAains a poisonous substance cas-
sDlrble in alcohol and benzol, ess so
IN water 1t is apparently an eth
eral oil The placing of fine saw
dust OF this wood on the moist skin
causes first violent smarting. Fol-
lowing this, red spots or pimples ap-
psar, accompanied by redness and in
fla.Iamation of that part of skin, fol-
,ogtd by scaIng.
Similar phenomena are caused by
the PLAN Cortusa Matthioli, but
they are even stronger, since Dlisters
are produced. Touching the plants
is enough to cause irritation, and
the infection may be transmitted to
other "arsons by hands SO infected.
The bearers Of the irritating sub
stance in this case are giand-hairs,
as in the case of the primrose. This
substance is crystalizable sap
which can be extracted from gland
hairs..
Tine sawdust of the Mexican blue
guia is harmful when the skin Is es-
peoiaily sensitive from some other
cause. A workingman who was SUI
fGfing from tubercu rsis, and VINO
later died from it, was attacked,af-
Ter splitting this lumber, by an erup-
lion of the underarm which forced |
hin 10 stop work. Others who did
similar labor for years had no ill-ef-
tecls. In his case the tuberculosis
may have created the disposition.
As result of his investigation,
DT. Graf urges al cabinetmakers who
work in satinwood, and gardeners
who Frow poisonous plants, TO pro-
tect their hands, arms and head from
iir0t contact with the wood, sawdust
or injured portions of the plants. A !
The first sign CT any inflammation OF =
skin, the sufferer should receive the
OF dermato.ogist. I
1t has long be thought that
poisoning might result from the prox-
unity OF summac, even If the plant
was not touched, but DR.. Graf denies
This. A visitor to the Berlin -Botan-
ifal Gardens recently brousht suit
iCT damages for injuries which he
alleged he had suffered on account
OF Ian, near proximity To poisonous
sumac, which is on exebltion In the
gardens. But the suit was lost Tor
ihe directors OF the gardens proved
onclussiyely that for poisoning 10 oocu
the plant must be injured and THE
port On brought into direct contact
with the skin.
How's This.