FLOWERS CARRY POISON
Some persons are especially sensitive to contact with toxic substances derived from plants. The poison ivy, oak, and sumac may cause severe eruptions of the skin in persons susceptible.
When mah-jong first became popular, many persons had eruptions of the fingers and of the skin of the face from contact with the lacquer on the mah-jong boxes, due to a special sensitivity that they possessed to a poison in the lacquer which it was discovered had been made by utilizing the juices of certain Japanese plants.
Handling of Bulbs.—Now a British physician has discovered eruptions on the hands of some persons from the handling of flower bulbs, and has given the name “lily rash” to this type of disturbance.
It followed the cutting of the stems of the flowers, chiefly the narcissus, and from handling bulbs of the hyacinth, daffodil, narcissus and tulip.
An investigation was made in several establishments devoted to the sale of bulbs, and a small proportion of packers and sorters of bulbs were found to be suffering from an eruption extending under the nail, where splitting of the skin caused considerable pain.
The longer the nails were worn, the more severe was the condition. Moreover, the inflammation of the skin, which occurred after a few days’ work in handling the bulbs, was progressive until the worker began to use gloves.
All the workers were inclined to blame the tulip bulbs. Some of the observers thought that the eruptions were due to friction from the rough sides of the bulbs, and were ready to place the responsibility on the hyacinth, narcissus and daffodil.
An investigation showed, however, that the tulip bulb is surrounded with a single layered covering which spreads easily and that it holds a somewhat acrid juice. When this juice was applied to the skin underneath the finger nail it promptly produced irritation, even without any breaking of the skin due to rubbing.
The obvious suggestion is that persons who are likely to handle tulip bulbs in any considerable numbers ought to wear protective gloves.