66 



quarter of an inch in diameter. On the left hand, I had the 

 worst case of poisoning and infiamation that I have ever ex- 

 perienced. Rubbing on the jewel weed juice served to spread the 

 poisoning and apparently to cause it to take deeper effect than 

 usual. Most of the back of that hand was swollen and red for 

 some days, darkening gradually to look something like a birth 

 mark and finally scaling off in particles to leave little areas of 

 glistening new skin. 



The result of the experiment was simply to emphasize past 

 information regarding methods of treatment which cautioned 

 against rubbing possibly infected areas with water or alcohol or 

 other agencies which might spread the sap. The old prescription 

 of strong alkaline soap, such as ordinary yellow washing soap, 

 potassium permanganate, and, more lately, iron chloride are 

 still the best prescriptions. I might add that in my own experi- 

 ence, contrary to wide-spread belief, poison sumac is no more 

 virulent than poison ivy. 



Since writing the above and reporting my adverse results 

 with jewel weed juice, I have had the opportunity of talking to 

 two or three good botanists who believe in it. Apparently, how- 

 ever, they recommend it as an alleviation after inflammation 

 has set in, not as an antidote of the actual poisoning. 



It is with regret that I report the failure of another proposed 

 experiment, aimed to determine the inheritance of susceptibil- 

 ity. In the family I studied, I found that the father and two 

 sons were almost nonsusceptible, but the three distaff members 

 of the family refused to serve as guinea pigs. 



Brooklyn, New York 



