Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1893 — POISON IVY. [ARTICLE]

POISON IVY.

How to Cure the Poisoning—Some Useful Hints. When you go into the country this summer don’t “monkey” with all the pretty plants you may find along the wayside. Especially avoid a twining, beautiful, three-leaved plant you may find growing around the base of trees, stone walls, and old fences. An attractive plant, just the kind of glossy glitter to its bright green leaves as impels one to “just take a little of it home" with you. Don’t do it, unless you are one of those few that may with impunity handle Rhus Vox. That’s the botanical name of the plant, that, familiarly known as poison ivy, has caused so much suffering to many. The writer has suffered, and on many occasions has struggled for its cure by means of neighborly suggestions, by doctor’s efforts, notions, lotions, harrowing days of dread and itch. Does it itch? Yes; you’ll know whan you’ve fooled with Rhus tox. by a strange itch. It’s different from any other itch. You scratch it, and it seems as though you had conquered the irritation; it fooled you. You look for a cause, and find none. The skin is normal, no'blemish shows, but it itches again. When yon are warm and comfortably asleep, you will be awakened up scratching that same spot. You “could dig it out with your nails.” Yon can’t dh it. That’s Rhus tox. poisonings Soon a small, insignificant swelling lumps up where the itch is; then it begins to look watery underneath the skin, but it itches none the less, rather mor/e. You scratch through the skin, the water underneath is released, and the nails and fingers carry the watery poison to fresh spots; possibly to the face, the ears, the body. The same tedious itching, scratching is multiplied. You are now. a case for sympathy. Without means of cure, your existence is a realized sheol. I propose, now that you understand the cause and the symptoms, to tell you of the cure. It is simple, it is effective. Procure from the drug or other stores where they are sold a small bottle of little sugar pills, labeled 11 Rhus tox ” A “hair of the dog that bit you” will cure you. Take six of the little pills at one dose, four doses the first day—morning, noon, evening, and bedtime. The next day the itching will be mollified a degree. The second and third day, take three doses of six pills each dose. You wil), by this time, be so free from irritation that you may carelessly take a few pills until nature heals up the sores. So soon as the healing begins, be very chary of taking many of the pills, as they will, in excess of requirement, produce an intolerable, though harmless, itching over the whole body. The writer, poisoned on an average four to six times a year, finds this remedy a permanent check on the first appearanoe of poisoning symptoms.—[Scientific American.