The Danger: Severe poison ivy can make a person seriously ill, often requiring hospitalization.

Symptoms: The first exposure need not necessarily cause a reaction, but the second or subsequent exposure may produce a red, swelling, itching rash, which soon develops into clusters and linear streaks of small blisters or a number of large ones, which eventually break open, leaving crusts. Serious cases can be grim; the rash and blisters can spread all over the body, far beyond the evident actual sites of contact. There is no immunity-one attack makes the victim all the more susceptible to the next.

Treatment: If contact is suspected, area must be washed within fifteen minutes; later washing is useless as the toxin has fixed itself to the skin. All affected clothing should be laundered or dry-cleaned. The infected area should be treated with a compress of Burow’s solution (dilution: 1 to 15). Apply freely, as much as is necessary. Inoculation against poison ivy has had only haphazard success; severe cases should be treated by a physician.

Prevention: Everyone should be familiar with these prolific, poisonous plants, which are ubiquitous in the United States. A five minute study of these weeds will be enough to forewarn a person for a lifetime.