			POISON IVY  

	PROBLEMS AND ITCHING FOR A SOLUTION

From: rodrigt <rodrigt@tiac.net>

Subject: Poison Ivy News Group?
Date: Wed, 31 Jul 1996 05:52:44 -0400
Organization: rodrigt@tiac.net

Start Poison Ivy News Group?

Does anyone reading this know how to start a new User group 
to focus on poison ivy?  This is a running thread in ten current
News Groups (see above cc-list).  Sure seems like poison ivy
is a common concern to many people, in various News Groups!

Previously thinking of myself immune, Iāve been humbled and write 
this while quite incapacitated by poison ivy!  As Iām crawling the 
walls with my new found source of unrelenting itching, I first 
thought of how burn victims must feel.  Then I reached out to
the WWW (InfoSeek & AltaVista) and NewsGroups (DejaNews)
for information on poison ivy.  My new found wisdom is described below.

Knowing that a poison ivy reaction is like the common cold, I was
aware no magical cure existed - It "needs to run itās course·."
Much of the information I found was akin to "abstention WAS the 
best way to have avoided the pregnancy"!  

My priority is, now that Iāve got the poison ivy reaction, what can I 
do to stop the itch? Next, what can I do differently "next time", 
followed with specific advice on how to I kill the damn stuff.  
Immunizations would be a plus.

For relieving itching symptoms, Iāve been disappointed in the lack 
of information available!  I was hoping for easy-over-the-counter
topical skin anesthetic capable of soothing a wounded elephant; no 
such luck.  

My third pharmacist was correct in that Lanacane 
(Benzocaine 6%) was better than Hydrocortisone. The later was 
described by someone as "attempting to put out a forest fire by 
pissing on it" - I agree.  Possibly the best advice I read about for 
treating symptoms came from boggles@io.com ( Jennifer Boggess): 

She reminded me of the curative powers of the aloe plant.  With 
such plant in my household, I promptly severed a leaf and began 
application.  Being an engineer, I wanted to do an experiment and
used it only on half of my afflicted areas (including my nose and
one ear!) Three hours later it is perhaps too soon to tell, but there 
may be a favorable case to be made for an aloe plant Vs Lanacane!

Another interesting  possibility is bathing in manganese sulfate
solution, as described in "Taking the itch out of poison ivy":
http://www.derm-infonet.com/comm/Nov95/terezakis.html

Advice for next-best from abstention to poison ivy seems to be 
IMMEDIATE treatment.  In the wild: "jewel weed", which appears in 
the vicinity of poison ivy, gets a lot of consensus - I have no data.  

Upon contamination from poison ivy, my Doctor and what Iāve 
read seem to concur: Upon exposure, you have a few minutes (3 to 10)
to wash it off!  Thereafter you have a delayed effect equivalent 
to a chemical burn.  Contamination will not stop until you wash all 
contaminated body parts, clothing and equipment.  

(Views on appropriate washing differ, i.e. soap Vs which soap/no soap, etc.)

For general information I found these two web sites most useful:
Common myths about poison ivy, etc:

                   http:/www.derm-infonet.com/PoisonIvy.html

Info: http://www.family.internet.com/peds/scr/000027sc.htm#FIRST AID:

For getting rid of poison ivy I found three sources to offer the most 
meaningful thoughts on which chemicals to use (Roundup, etc):

Univ. of Georgia:  http://www.ces.uga.edu/cobb/ivy.html

Mich. State Univ.:  http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/moduf/07189502.html

News Group input: Gasoline works great, why use other worse/expensive
chemicals?

Looking forward to your comments and wisdom, happy scratching and best
regards,  Tom Rodriguez (rodrigt@tiac.net)


From: Geri Guidetti <arkinst@concentric.net 
Newsgroups: misc.survivalism

Subject: Poison Ivy/Jewelweed, was Survival:where do I start???
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 1996 09:23:51 -0400

rbowen wrote:
  
  A. T. Hagan wrote:
   
    hambidge@sis.bms.com (Al Hambidge, Jr.) wrote:
   
      Once you've got the rash, try some Jewelweed (a marshland plant).
      I just pack the leaves over the rash and cover it with a loose
      dressing; seems to dry it right up.
   
     Jewelweed is also known in some parts as touch-me-not, because
     the fruits (small, green, football shape), when ripe, pop open
     at the slightest touch and release the seeds.  It is very good
     for relieving the itch of poison ivy, though the effect lasts
     only about half an hour to an hour.  Or so say friends and family;

     I've never had poison ivy.  Either I'm immune or very lucky,
     and all things considered, it's probably the former.  :-)
   
Hmm, I thought the cultivated form of Jewelweed is commonly known as Impatiens?
I haven't seen Touch Me Nots in a long time, maybe they're related? snipped 
more good stuff...

You have piqued my curiosity. According to the Herb Society of America's
new Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses, Impatiens is, indeed, 
the genus name for Jewelweed. Family,  Balsaminaceae. Impatiens pallida 
is the pale touch-me-not and is very similar in appearance to the more 
common I. capensis.  

They say "Jewelweeds have long been used by native N. Americans 
to relieve the pain and irritation of rashes and eczema, 
particularly by the Potawatomi, who applied the juice to poison ivy rash."  

The whole plant and juice are used. If taken internally, it has 
diuretic, purgative and emetic effects. They also list medicinal uses 
for rashes caused by Rhus species (sumacs), corns, warts, ringworm (use 
juice) and hemmorhoids (ointment). Can be grown in moist soil in sun or
shade. Seed in spring. Harvest plants when flowering. Use fresh for 
ointments and juice extraction.  

Live and learn...ain't life grand?...Geri Guidetti, The Ark Institute
*****************************************************************
Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times...
Book I: Food Self-Sufficiency    http://www.lis.ab.ca/walton/geri.html
Grain Supply Updates:    http://www.lis.ab.ca/walton/geri1.html


