THE CURE FOR IVY POISONING 
follows, then blisters, then scabs. He is likely to have a 
very unpleasant time. People have even been known to 
die from poison ivy. 
It is here again that potassium permanganate comes to 
the rescue. Five parts of it to ninety-five parts of water 
make a dark purple liquid that may be used as a wash. 
Dabbing this on the affected parts with absorbent cotton 
or a soft bit of cloth is the method of treatment. 
The government, through its Department of Agricul¬ 
ture, makes this recommendation in a publication on the 
treatment of poison ivy. It warns that salves are likely 
to do more harm than good by helping to spread the 
poison. Even in the treatment with permanganate there 
should be no rubbing, for this distributes the poison. But 
if the affected spots are dabbed gradually, the drug reaches 
more and more of the poison, unites with it in new and 
harmless combinations, and the trouble disappears. 
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