Re: Dermatitis

On 9/12/07, Sean A. O'Hara <sean@gimcw.org> wrote:
> Interesting thread about skin reactions!
>
> I helped a friend once by removing all of the Agapanthus in her garden.
> Apparently she got a bad reaction to the sap of this plant (I saw her skin
> react in real time!  Uugh!).  I've never found any information about this in
> the literature I've come across, yet there was no doubt she was allergic (and
> she was not a particularly allergic person).

I remember as a child my brothers and I went to town on an agave with
a bunch of sticks. We beat it practically to a pulp, and came away
with a rash wherever the juice or chunks of flesh came away from the
plant. I've also had reactions with bare skin on freshly cut grass.

>
> Mention of California's poison oak is typical - there are people who often say
> they are not allergic (having never gotten a case).  I was among that throng
> for much of my life (I was born and raised in California, and not shy about
> hiking into our local poison oak infested hills).  My first case was when I
> slipped off a structure into a solidly dense patch of the stuff and had to
> wade out!  I've never known such misery, let me tell you!!  Welts all over
> every inch!

I only ever touch poison oak if I absolutely have to, which isn't
common at all. Even though the stuff is all over the oak thickets on
campus, it's easy to spot and avoid. I've never fallen into it, so I
suppose if that happens, I may get sensitized to it. I'm reminded of
something rather interesting. *very* sensitive people apparently can
get a rash by sucking on mango skins, or by handling classic urushi
laquerware from Japan, but I hear both is very uncommon.



>
> A very nasty skim rash can be had by slicing Arum corms and handling them, or
> indeed the sap of most any of the Aroid family - the sap usually contains
> needle-like crystals which provide a pain like you might expect from such
> items!

The palms in the genus Caryota are said to have such high
concentrations of oxalate crystals in the flesh of their fruit that
most palm guides warn readers to always wear gloves when handling the
fruits. The fruits are also usually very attractive, such as that of
Caryota ochlandra:

http://www.hktree.com/images/trees/PICT3350.jpg

It makes me wonder what animal actually disperses the seeds.
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