The Wilmington morning star., 1946-07-12
Doctor Says
POISON IVY QUICK
IN PIERCING ski
BY WILLIAM A. o'BRIFx NJ

CO. a. hhlEN, NJ. i
|. Skin inflammation from mi,
ivy, poison oak, swamp po.s
and the Oriental lac trees i sit,'
cult to prevent, as the poison rrn.
principal, urushiol, quickly .1'
trates the skin, leaving or Is''e'
trace on the surface.
Ivy dermatis usually deva,,.
from Is to 40 hours after exoosu4'
1t may not appear, however, for =,
long as two weeks thereafter
Ivy poison car be carried
clothing, animal fur, smoke w.
leaves, and twigs, as well .. ny
the offending plants. CIatb;' W
which has come into contact WI.
poison ivy should be thoro,9 J,
washed or dry-cleaaed before M
Ing worn again.
Petting animals who have h..
in a poison-ivy patch can esr,a
a skin eruption in suscent;s1'
persons. Burning weeds prodno'
ivy dermatitis from small oil n"'
ticles or pieces Of unburned plsnt,
and these can be carried snr.,
distance by the wind.
Ivy dermatitis is not consids..,
contagious, but poison from bIj',
ers may be deposited ON ~.
clothes and acquired in thi, W.. WV
Ivy dermatitis, which develons wy !.
various parts OF the body, usr.r ~
is spread by clothing and han!
contact. 1t breaks out at varinn.
times because Of difference, ~
sensitivity. u
The most effective methods 4,
preventing poison-ivy skin tropbi.
are staying away from the plant,
and wearing protective clotbinr
Ideally, the application Of a rsn;S
oxidizing agent such as potss,irrs
permanganate or ferric cbIorid.
should be helpful, but thew r,r
cause skin irritation.
Mushroom tyrosinase seen, =.
counteract the effect of poison w.,
on the skin when it is applisi
experimentally, but what it wo1ld
do after the reaction was stsrtsi
is not known.
It is worthwhile to try 10 d..
sensitize patients who ar. sy,
tremely sensitive to poison ivy
An extract of the oil is given h,
patient about three months b.for.
the ivy season, and the sdnt9;,
tration is repeated once a vask
in successfully larger do..,, n
bring the patients resistanc. IA
Its highest peak at ivy time.
The medicine is then given on,.
a month during the season and
Tor some time afterwards. Thu
course Of treatment covers A n.
riod of six months.
Ivy dermatitis is treated BY An
plying soothing wet dressing
Containing salt, boric acid, lea;
and opium etc., to the skin.
An old treatment recently "a
vlved consists Of passing the al
fected hands several times throus
very hot water Cup to 1870 degree
F.), moving them rapidly to avo,
serious burns. Experienced ph
slclans recommend this method
one which will bring relief
three or four hours after the d
treatment. 1t can be repeated.
QUESTION: I am 40 wears
age. Recently I had some cy;
removed from my cervix. A bio.
sy was sent to the laboratory #
examination, and my physicis
said it proved to be non-cancerou,
he has asked me to return ever
SIX months for examination. Do.
this mean that I have cancer?
ANSWER: Your physician
following the good practice Q
examining the pelvic organs Of
mlddle-aged person every sn
months, in order to detect canoe,
In its beginning stages. If he find,
one' its early discovery will otfel
you the best chance Of eur,
Every woman your age would
profit by such examinations.