20 
Rhus  Poisoning. 
/  Am.  Jour.  Pharno. 
\    January,  1896. 
In  April,  1883,  the  writer  was  severely  poisoned  in  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows' Cemetery,  Philadelphia,  by  handling  some  poison-ivy  on  which 
the  new  leaves  were  just  appearing.  Although  the  hands  were  pro- 
tected by  gloves,  and  the  exposed  portions,  face  and  hands,  were 
shortly  after  washed,  nearly  the  entire  surface  of  the  body  suffered, 
the  face  and  eyelids  being  so  swollen  as  to  nearly  produce  blind- 
ness. Following  this  attack  came  a  series  of  boils,  and  for  several 
years  afterward,  about  the  same  time,  there  appeared  the  character- 
istic eruption  and  sensations  when  there  had  been  no  contact  or 
exposure  to  the  plant. 
By  carefully  avoiding  too  close  acquaintance  with  the  genus  Rhus, 
I  escaped  with  but  very  slight  punishment  for  a  number  of  years. 
In  the  early  part  of  May,  1894,  unfortunately,  while  in  profuse 
perspiration,  I  stopped  to  take  up  a  few  violets  for  my  herbarium, 
and,  in  doing  so,  disturbed  some  vines  and  roots  of  the  poison-ivy. 
This  was  sufficient,  however,  as  a  severe  attack  of  poisoning  resulted. 
During  the  following  months,  on  merely  passing  by  the  plants  the 
effects  were  experienced  in  a  moderate  degree.  In  September  of 
the  same  year,  passing  by  some  Rhus  Toxicodendron  in  fruit  at  Had- 
donfield,  N.  J.,  the  effects  were  again  experienced,  and  still  later  in 
November,  near  Merchantville,  N.  J.  I  came  across  the  upright 
variety  with  fruit  well  developed  and  leaves  fallen,  and  face  and 
hands  were  again  poisoned.  During  the  summer  and  fall  of  1894, 
the  acquaintance  with  Job's  torments  was  again  renewed,  a  series  of 
boils  adding  again  to  the  discomforts  of  rhus  poisoning. 
It  is  now  pretty  generally  admitted  that  all  parts  of  the  Rhus 
Toxicodendron  are  poisonous,  and  at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  In  my 
own  experience  I  have  observed  that  the  dust  shaken  from  the  roots 
is  likewise  capable  of  causing  the  irritation  wherever  it  comes  in  con- 
tact with  the  skin.  It  is  popularly  believed  that  persons  of  a  blonde 
complexion  are  far  more  susceptible  to  its  influence. 
During  the  past  summer,  washing  the  face  and  hands  with 
solution  of  hydrogen  dioxide  has  been  adopted  as  a  preventive,  with 
apparently  good  results.  Hot  soda  baths  have  also  appeared  to  be 
efficacious  in  the  treatment  of  the  disease,  and,  for  a  topical  applica- 
tion, I  prefer  the  following  lotion  : 
&  Sodium  sulphite  granular  . 
Glycerin  
Camphor  water  q.  s.  ad  fac, 
1  drachm. 
%  fluid  ounce. 
4     fluid  ounces. 
