90 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
hollow shaft like a hypodermic needle. A plant secretion is 
injected through this hair into the skin and, depending upon 
the nature of this secretion, the effect is either transitory or 
more or less serious. The sting of some of the tropical net- 
tles has been known to cause either continuous pain, tetanus- 
like symptoms, or even death. 
Another type of dermatitis is that known as ‘‘Primula 
poisoning,’’ although there are a number of other plants 
besides primroses which produce practically the same effect. 
The irritant in this case is an oil which is secreted by glan- 
dular hairs all over the leaves and stem. The hairs’ are very 
delicate and easily broken and, in the case of susceptible 
individuals, may produce eruptions with more or less swelling 
accompanied by fever. The itching is so intolerable that 
where a considerable surface is involved, the loss of sleep and 
lack of appetite may rapidly wear out the patient. 
Quite a different type of plant poisoning is the so-called 
“‘lily disease,’’ which attacks particularly the flower pickers 
in the Scilly Islands, where daffodils and narcissus are grown 
‘in great quantities for the market. If the skin of the hands 
or arms of the workers is abraded in any way and the sap 
of the plant comes into contact with this abrasion it acts as 
a violent irritant, producing symptoms similar to ivy poison- 
ing. Individual susceptibility is apparently a considerable 
factor in the development of this type of dermatitis, since 
some of the pickers escape entirely, others have but a single 
mild attack, while some are so susceptible that they dare not 
handle either the leaves or the flowers. 
Remedies—There are over two hundred and fifty pub- 
lished ‘‘cures’’ for poison ivy; and probably there are as 
many more which have been used in domestic practice. The 
fact that so many different remedies have been recommended 
is an indication of how futile the attempt to combat the 
effect of the ivy poison has been. Since the poisonous oil 
does not immediately penetrate the skin, the use of alcohol 
as a solvent or vigorous scrubbing with strong soap and 
water have been suggested as means of preventing the der- 
matitis when one knows he has been exposed to the plant. 
Of course, unless such a treatment is most thorough, the 
