Evening star., 1935-05-05
IS ADVISED
:. FOR POISON IVY
Chemist Says Infection Can
Be Cheated by Quick
Application.

Natures three-fingered villain,
known to every gardener and vacation
fist as poison ivy, has been finally cor
nered. according to the American For
estry Association. And so has Its VII
famous relatives, poison oak and
poison sumach.
Some interesting and heretofore un-
known facts concerning the cause and
cure of Rhus dermatitis, ivy poisoning
to its victims, have been uncovered
by G. Albert Hill, professor Of chem
istry at Wesleyan University, ccord-
ing to the association, which may be
used to disarm this green villain and
render it harmless.
Writing in the May issue of Ameri-
can Forests, the associations official
magazine, Prof. Hill states that con-
trary to general belief the weapon OF
this three-fingered villain is not in its
sap but poison present in the RESIN
canals of the plant" These canals
may be found in the roots, the bark,
the leaves and in certain parts OF the
Mower. The wood itself is not poison
Gus.
Other Means of Infection.
Nor can a person be poisoned by
merely going near the plant as is pop
tllarly believed. Contact with the
poison is essential to initiate a case
- pr0f Hill found
But beware, old Rhus is not so easily
avoided. 1T is entirely possible to
contact the poison although person
does not touch any part of the plant.
Droplets of the poisonous oil are left
on the coats of dogs, cattle and other
animals, and if these droplets are SUD-
seouently brought in contact with the
skin of a person, severe poisoning may
result"
But worse still. Prof. Hill says, a
person may be poisoned by smoke, pro-
yiding that in the clearing out and
burning of underbruSh, poison ivy sup
plies the fuel for the fire. He explains
this by saying that tiny droplets OF
the poisonous oil are carried into the
air on the small particles of solid mat
ter which make up the smoke. When
the smoke comes in contact with the
skin, the dropletS cause perfect case
of Rhus dermatitiS.
Easily Identified.
The surest way to beat this villain
Of nature, says Prof. HILL is to know II
when you see it-and then avoid 1t
1t is easily identified. In the early
Spring its characteristic leaves, with
three leaflets, appear first as SHINY
red objects which soon become lus-
trous green as the growing season ad-
vances. In the Fall these leaves turn
o vivid red. 1t is usually found as a
running vine at the edge of patches OF
underbush. or along fences, or Climb
ing the trunks OF trees.
If there is any question as 70
whether or not you have been vic
timized by the poisonous oil, then stop
its action on the skin. Prof. Hill tells
you how. Since the oil is non-vola- =
tile and not soluble in water" he ex-
plains, "it will remain where 1t has
touched the skin unless it is absorbed
or removed. The removal may be &C
complished by an alcohol rinse. but
better still by washing the parts Of the
body which may have been exposed to
contact with the oil with rich lather
of soap suds-an ordinary laundry
soap is best. The oil is then emulsi-
fed and it can do no harm.
Other Remedies Advised.
IF the skin absorbs the oil-you
cure may be effected by applying a
5 per cent solution of ferric chloride,
an iron salt, dissolved in equal parts
of alcohol and water. Or you may use
the old snake-bite remedy, potassium
permanganate, applied in a 4 per
cent water solution" Other good ap-
plications are listed by Prof. Hill as
calamine lotion, or similar prepara-
tions of zinc oxide, limewater and a
dash of carbolic acid. Recently. he
says. an extract of the plant has been
used, hypodermically, with good re-
suits.
If you think you are immune to the
action of the poison. listen to what
Prof. Hill has discovered. Immunity
to ivy poison is an uncertain thing at
best, for individuals lose their i'm
munity without apparent cause" At
one time, he says, it was thought that
Negroes and Indians did not suffer
from the Rhus clan, but this idea has
long since been blasted.
So. if you would beat natures three
fingered villain, first learn to identify
1t. then avoid it if possible. If you
cannot do this, timely application of
old-fashioned soap suds will turn the
trick.