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From: jrm@cbuxc.UUCP (John Miller)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: Any cures for poison ivy out there?
Message-ID: <337@cbuxc.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 13-Sep-85 08:50:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: cbuxc.337
Posted: Fri Sep 13 08:50:32 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Sep-85 07:32:57 EDT
References: <4305@alice.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Columbus Comp. Center
Lines: 50

> This is the 3rd time I've gotten p.i. messing around with our garden/yard.
> Yes, (after the first time), I do what it looks like and I manage to
> avoid it most of the time. We have a lot of back yard and there is just too
> much to kill. Most of the time, if I shower with brown soap within 1/2 hour
> of gardening, I am ok. But a few times, I get going into exciting things
> like weeding, taking clippings to our local dump, etc. and I don't get
> to the brown soap cure quickly enough. (or I miss a spot and that pesky
> p.i. oil finds it!)
> 
> I use one of the cortisone creams for the itching and that helps a little.
> Once, when I managed to get it 4 days before a trip to Europe,  I went to
> the doctor who gave me prendisone. Worked fine but I am a little nervous
> about wonder drugs.
>  
> Does anyone know if you can be desensitized to poison ivy? That would
> be the easiest way for me. I hate the thought of giving up gardening and
> stuff but I don't care to have several bouts with p.i. either.
> Thanks a lot.

I have a terrible memory for things like this, but it might help to stimulate
someone else in netland who has heard of this.

I read an article recently (shows you how bad my memory is) that indicated
that your immune system responds to PI because it is being introduced into
your body through the skin (touchs a group of cells that decide whether
or not an immune response should take place - Langerhan cells?). Anyway,
experiments showed that if the PI sap (which is what causes the immune
response) is injected directly into the bloodstream then subsequent
PI contact with the skin will not cause an immune response (e.g.
inflamation, itching etc.). 

It was further stated that children who are  treated in this fashion
could be protected for life, however, us adult gardeners would probably
require treatment each year or so. 

I don't know if this is currently available or not, but I do recall hearing
from a different source that there is an immunizing treatment available. I
wonder if it is the same? 

My own observations indicate that if I am infected with PI (note again that it
is the sap - and that the sap leaks out of the leaves when tiny bugs chew on
them) it is always worse in hot, humid weather. In cool weather, it may
cause a little redness - that's all. In hot weather, it itches bad! Air
conditioning has helped alot!

If you find any additional info out, I am interested. 


					itching in sympathy,
					john miller