Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1918-05-30
SEEKS TO DESTROY
POISON IVY IN us.
Campaign Against Noxious Plant is
Started by Professor William
Mansfield of New York.
TELLS OF ITS GREAT DANGERS
Favors Exhibition Gardens, Where
Public Can Study II and Learn
How to Kill II.

New York.-The first step in cam.
paign to eradicate poison ivy plants,
the heavy growth of which even in
suburbs of this city yearly endangers
the health of thousands of persons, Is
made in an article by Prof. William
Mansfield, of Columbia University, in
the current issue of the Journal of the
New York Botanical Garden. Prof.
Mansfield, in describing the poison ivy
plant and its power to poison, either
directly or indirectly, urges that i'm
mediate efforts be made to prevent the
spread of its growth in the local parks
and suburbs.
1.-The poison ivy, 'Rhus radicans,' Is
one of the most widely distributed
plants in the eastern United States,"
according to Prof. Mansfield. Every
year, because of its hardness, this
poisonous plant becomes more widely
distributed, and by reason of it's at
tractiveness many persons, though
aware of its nature, allow it to cover
their old fences and hedges, which
otherwise would be unsightly.
"Once the poison ivy seed enters the
soil ii thrives, growing in three forms;
as trailing vine, a climbing vine, or
as a shrub, capable of afflicting most
persons with an intense irritation and
swelling of the skin, which, though
seldom fatal, is extremely annoying
and liable to weaken the entire system.
Some persons must come in direct con-
tact with the three-foliate leaf of the
are so susceptible that few Of the
pollen grains, sometimes from a dis
tant plant, upon the skin produces irri-
tation.
1.-THE first effect of the poisoning is
a mild skin irritation, which, when the
sufferer rubs or scratches, becomes
worse. The friction breaks the outer
skin, the poison enters the inner and
more sensitive tissues, and the suffer
ing increases accordingly.
"The secondary egect causes red
dening of the skin, followed by blis-
ters, formed by the infiltration of wa
ter between the outer and inner layers
of the skin. When perforated, that
water touches an unaffected part,
which in turn becomes poisoned.
ITO cure the poisoning and counter
act its effect, the effected parts should
be rubbed with paste of bicarbonate
of soda, which finally should be left
on the irritated part as thick mass,
to be moistened as the water evapor-
ates. Again the irritation may be
washed with strong alcohol, which
saponifies the fatty or resinous nature
of the poison Of the poison ivy plant
and renders 1t harmless. This treat
ment proves efficscious only during
the first stage Of the poisoning.
Thousands of persons are poisoned
every year by this plant, but still 1t is
allowed to grow practically unhinder-
ed. For several years efforts have
been made 10 ext inmate the plant
from the Now York Botanical Garden,
where IT. Cr1ws in tremendous quanti-
ties, and within a few years this will
be accomplished To eradicate the
poison ivy plant In any of its forms,
however, ther cots must be dug up and
the area which they occupied be gone
over year after year"
Prof Mansfield urges that exhibition
gardcDs Of poicon ivy be arranged in
the parks, where the public may study
its appearance ono the methods for
It's eradication. When all are familiar
with the plant, steps may then be
taken to assure its determination from
tho entire country.