The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-11-02
WARE POISONOUS PLANTS.
DIR. Biggs Tells How to Treat Ivy In
fiammatiOn.

In the latest of bis radio health talks,
DIR. Hermann NJ. Biggs, New York state
commissioner of health, said few
seasonable words about the dangers of
poisonous plants. He pointed out that
il was a great advantage to be able to
recognize them and thus avoid them, and
that any enc who was unwilling to take
the time to acquire this knowledge might
be Obliged to learn his lesson through a
very painful experience.
THE most common of the poisonous
plants in this state" said DR. Biggs SIS
the poison ivy. This plant is climb
ing or trailing shrub which is found in
abundance growing along the ground. in
brush, on fences and fence posts and on
trees. It sometimes becomes strong and
hardy enough TO grow in the form of 4
small sized tree. This fact is not gen
orally known.
Poison ivy Is most often confused
with the. common woOdbine or Virginia
ereeper, but can easily be distinguished
from it if you will remember that the
ivy has only three leaves las many as
THE word has letters) While the wood
bine has FIVE. Moreover, the ivy leaf
has a glossy or wax-like surface while
the woOdbine leaf is not shiny. The ivy
produces smooth greenish berries, which
later become yellowish white, while the
berries of tEe woodbine quickly turn to
4 deep blue Poison ivy is one of the
earlist plants to take on autumnal col
ors, the change to reddish hues sometimes
coming as early as the middle OF August.
1t is often picked for ornamental pur-
poses, with results that can be imagined.
poison ivy contains an oil which
causes very severe inflammation of the
skin followed by an almost unbearable
itching. especially where the skin is cal
lous or where there is friction. If Il
person finds that he has accidentally
in ivy n
skin should be Immediately washed with
very strong hot soap suds. After rim
sing and drying, the effected parts
should be bathed in alcohol; or dissolve
two tablespOonfuis of cooking soda in
half a cup of hot water and apply the
cooled solution. If this is done soon after
contact, oftentimes all trouble will be
avoided Even after the inflammation
has appeared the treatment recommended
will do a great deal TO alleviate the sut-
fering
Probably the second most common
plant poisonous TO the touch is the poison
sumac. 1t is a tree-like shrub growing
characteristics distinguish it from the
common sumac Its leaf scars are shaped
like hbrseshoeS and are very prominent !:
its berries are silver gray and grow IN
loose. grape-lke lunches. The berries
of the ordinary sumac are bright red.
w lille there are number OF othef
plants poisonous 10 the touch. they are
far less common than the two just dis
cuSSed and therefore of lesser import
ance 4 few words should, however, be
said regarding plants that are poisonous
to eat Included in this group are the
water hemlock. the poison hemlock, the
field parsnip, and the berries of the
dwarf sumac, the poke weed. bitter sweet.
deadly night shade. black cherry kernels
and the thorn apple or jimson weed. The
only safe rule TO follow is to eat no fruit
or plants the indemnity of which You are
not certain.
NO reference has been made to mush-
rooms. As there are practically as many
poisonous as edible kinds, it is best to
leave tie collection of the edible species
to the expert.-New York Times.