Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-06-13
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 Il.

New York The first step IN a cam.
paign to eradicate poison ivy plants.
the heavy growth of which even in
suburbs of this city yearly endangcrs
the health of thousands Of persons, f.
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 10 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.
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.
aware of its nature, allow II to cover
their old fences and hedges. which
otherwise would be unsightly.
"Once the poison ivy seed enters the
soil 1t thrivea growing In three forms;
as a trailing vine. a climbing vine. or
as a shrub, capable of affecting 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
plant to become poisoned. while others
are so susceptible that a few of the
pollen grains, sometimes from a dis
tant plant, upon the skin produces irri.
tation.
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 a red.
dening OF the skin. followed by Bills
tiers, formed by the infltration 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.
TO cure the poisoning and counter.
act its effect, the effected parts should
be rubbed with a paste of bicarbonate
of soda. which finally should be left
on the irritated part as a thick mass, :
to be moistened as the water evapor- J
ates Again the irritation may be
washed with strong alcohol, which /.
saponities the fatty or resinous nature /.
of the poison of the poison ivy plant I
and renders it harmless This treat .
ment proves eificacious only during
the first stage of the poisoning. /
thousands of persons are poisoned
every year by this plant, but still 1t Is .
allowed 20 grow, practically unhinder-
ed. For several years efforts have
been made to eXterminate the plant .
from the New York Botanical Garden,
where II grows in tremendous quaint .
ties. and within a few years this will .
be accomplished. To eradicate the .
poison ivy plant 10 any of its forms, .
however, Their cots must be dug mp and /
the area which they occupied be gone .
over year after year
Prof Mansfield urges that exhibition .
gardens of poison ivy be arranged in .
the parks, where the public may study .
its appearance and the methods for
its eradication. When all are familiar
with the plant, steps may then be .
b..
the entire country.