.5. 



wash water helps. Short exposure of the skin is harmless but long 

 exposure should be avoided. Keep Ammate out of the eyes. Don't use 

 it around blueberries or peaches. It is very toxic to these fruits. 

 In fact, its use around fruits other than apple is not recoinraended 

 until further information is available. 



Tha use of any of the weed killers containing 2-4 D is recommended 

 only to those who wish to do some experimsnting. So far 2-4 D has given 

 variable results against poison ivy. Since it is one of the so-called 

 "hormone" sprays, it nay do surprising things to plants at very low 

 concentration. Follow carefully the manufacturer's direction for use of 

 the spray and cleaning of equipment after* :.rd«. 



Even after the poison ivy has been killed the dead stems should not 

 be handled carelessly for poisoning may result. The poisonous material is 

 a resin which is in resin ducts in the bark of roots, stems, petioles and 

 leaves. This resin is not destroyed when the plrjits are killed. It is so 

 stable that it may remain active for a year or more. Hence, one should be 

 careful to keep out of the smoke v;h;n burning poison ivy* Sooty particles 

 of the rosin carried along with the smoke nay cause seri'ius poisoning if 

 they reach the skin of susceptible persons, 



A word of caution to thoso who thinic themselves immune to ivy poison- 

 ing,' This Bo»called immunity may end rather suddenly following excessive 

 exposure to the toxin. The following is quoted from the bulletin, "Poisonivy 

 and Poisonsumac," Kev/ York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University, 

 Syracuse, N,Y, 



"Most if not all persons v;ho have never had a case of poison, ivy 

 dermatitis react negatively when an extract of the poison is applied to a 

 very small area of their skiA» Eskimos v;ho live north of the natural 

 range of poison ivy, and newborn babies have been thus patch-tested and 

 shov/ed no positive reaction. However, once a person has become sensitized 

 he will react to the poison sometimes in dilutions as great as 1 to 1,000, 000. 

 Sensitization requires the application of a certain amount of the poison 

 to the skin. The amount varies with the individual, but that acquired by 

 pulling up the vines, or handling the bruised leaves is usually sufficient, 

 iiost people can be sensitized by placing upon their skiii a drop of the 

 liquid from the cut or broken end of a leaf-stem (petiole). The ensuing 

 reaction usually occurs within seven to tvfonty daj^s. It can be seen, 

 therefore, that it is extremely unv/ise to experiment with one's supposed 

 imjnunity, even though in rare cases, continued exposure fails to produce 

 dermatitis. Several instances are on record of individuals who throughout 

 a long life handled the plant frequently with impunity, but who finally 

 got the juice upon their skin once too often, and became severe hospital 

 cases # It is often stated that immunity can be secured by chewing poison 

 ivy leaves (especially in spring), but this practice may be exceedingly 

 dangerous," 



The bulletin mentioned abovj and Farmers* Eul, 1972, "Poison-ivy 



