2l62 



DERMATITIS VENENATA 



VI. THE BUFFALO BEAN GROUP. 



Letcher has written an interesting account of the sufferings 

 produced by the minute hairs of the pods of the Buffalo bean. 

 This bush, with its silky green pods, lives along the Luia River in 

 Portuguese South Africa. The little hairs settle on the skin and 

 set up violent irritation and burning, lasting about one hour 

 despite remedies. Natives plaster themselves all over with mud. 

 This laconic description by no means expresses the views of sufferers, 

 who look upon the tree as one of the ' choicest creations of the devil.' 



VII. THE LITTLE-KNOWN GROUP. 



This group includes dermatitis due to : — 



1. Cashew nut. 4. Oleander. 



2. Cinchona quinine. 5. Rungus. 



3. Nasturtium. 6. Upas. 



Semecarpus anacardium Linnseus (Anacardiaceae) , the common 

 cashew nut of the tropics, a native of Tropical America and natural- 

 ized in Africa and Asia, is said to cause fumes when roasted which 

 may blister the face. The mere handling of the plant does no harm. 



Cinchona (Rubiaceae) [Quinine]. — Although the cinchona tree 

 itself is harmless, yet workmen preparing quinine by boiling the 

 bark, those who make the sulphate, and those who bottle the powder, 

 are apt to suffer from erythema, vesicles, and pustules, which appear 

 upon the hands, forearms, and genitalia in susceptible persons. 

 It is believed to be due to emanations from the drug acting upon 

 susceptible persons, who should not be longer employed at this 

 work. The rash disappears in two to four weeks after ceasing to 

 work with quinine. 



Nasturtium. — TropcBolum majus Linnseus (Tropseolacese) , which 

 is a native of Peru, will cause a dermatitis in susceptible persons 

 when handled. 



Oleander. — Nerium oleander Linnseus (Apocyanacese), the 

 oleander of Palestine and the East, may, in susceptible people, 

 cause symptoms like those produced by the Rhus group, but this 

 requires confirmation. 



Rungus. — This is a curious affection, described in British North 

 Borneo by Hornsey, and is caused by contact with any part of the 

 tree called rungus or ringus by the natives, and said to be capable 

 of being spread from a victim to uninfected persons. Within 

 twenty-four hours of handling the tree itching sets in, and this is 

 followed by a papular rash associated with fever and malaise. The 

 rash appears first on the parts which have been in contact with the 

 tree. The papules become vesicles and then bullae, filled with a 

 serous fluid, and these if secondarily infected may give rise to foul 

 ulcers. Some people are immune. The condition heals naturally. 



Upas Tree. — Antiaris toxicaria Lesch (Artocarpacese), according 



