POISONOUS PRIMROSE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 103, 2 May 1914, Page 12

POISONOUS PRIMROSE

CAUSE OF SKIN DISEASE WORKING UNEXPECTED MISCHIEF. The Country Gentleman (Philadelphia) for March contains an article by Calvin Frazer on poisonous primroses and some fellow-culprits. The writer states that in the year 1879 a species of primrose new to science was introduced from China into Europe.* The following year a technical description, of it was published by Hance, who named it Primula obconica. In the course of the next few jears this pretty plant became a fa-vour-ite in greenhouses and in private homes. As early as 1890 it was widely cultivated in the United States. Primula, obconica is a winter-flowering pot plant, bearing lilac or purplish blossoms in umbels, and long-stemmed, somewhat heart-shaped and scallop-tooth-ed leaves all growing from the base of the plant and beset with sharp hairs. In well-grown specimens the flowers are nearly or quite an inch across. This description applies ' to the natural species, but there are several horticultural varieties differing slightly from this, though easily distinguished from other kinds of primrose. One, grandiflora, has blossomn an inchi and a-half across, another, fimbriata, has somewhat fringed petals ;' while a third, rosea, has delicate rose-coloured flowers. PUZZLES THE DOCTORS. The fact that Primula obconica is poisonous to the touch was discovered in 1889, but the discovery was so slow in coming to general attention that for years afterward such cases as the following were of common occurrence : — An English doctor was called to attend a gardener suffering with whal appeared to be an attack of erysipelas of the face and hands. It yielded to the usual treatment, and the patient returned to work in his greenhouse, whereupon tho disease immediately reappeared. The same thing happened several times. Finally the doctor ordered his patient to bed. Even while confined to his room the gardener had two fresh attacks of the disease. At length it transpired that the patient was in the habit of making funeral wreaths of Primula obconica, and in his enforced idleness had continued this work in his bedroom. On ceasing to work with the plant the disorder speedily disappeared. Neither doctor nor patient had suspected the cause of the disease. There can be no doubt that innumerable cases diagnosed as ordinary eczema, due to digestive or other internal causes and treated accordingly, have really been the result of handling poisonous plants. The number of such plants is very great, but Primula obconica is one of the most dangerous and therefore deserves special attention. Dr. A. Nestler, of Prague, the leading authority on primrose poisoning, relates the case of a certain professor who kept some of these plants in his bedroom and, without suspecting the cause of his trouble, suffered so severely with an eczema-like affection that he was unah , to sleep at night. Final I'/1 '/ he had to abandon his work and put himself in the hands of physicians. He was treated for months by eminent dermatologists without obtaining relief, until he happened to banish the primroses from his room. Then the symptoms at once subsided. According to Dr. Neetler, no one is absolutely immune from the effects of this plant. He cites cases of gardeners who, after handling it with impunity for years, have finally become infected. In this respect its effects appear to be as erratic as those of poison ivy. The severity varies greatly. Sometimes the effects are almost imperceptible ; in a few cases on record they have led to fatal attacks of blood poisoning. Actual contact with the plant or its poisonous secretion is found to have occurred in all cases, but it frequently happens that the secretion is carried by the hands to other parts of the body, which become equally infected. As in tho case of ivy poisoning, the symptoms do not appear until many houia v or even several days after exposiuv. and this explains why the cause of the trouble so often remains unsuspected. Cases are recorded in which the period of incubation, so to speak, was as much as ten days. The first manifestations of trouble are a redness and swelling of the skin, with intolerable itching. This may be followed by the appearance of wheals, blisters, pustules, and severe ulceration. The attack is aggravated by any constitutional tendency to skin disease. One attack does not ensure immunity from a second, but has just the opposite effect; it makes one more sensitive to subsequent infeci tion. Here again* we have a parallel to | ivy poisoning. A SLOW-ACTING POISON. The poison of the primrose occurs in its glandular hairs. While these are not stiff enough to tear tho skin, as happens in nettle poisoning, they easily break and discharge an irritating fluid. This is absorbed into the skin gradually ; hence the slow action of the poison. While the poisonous principle of the plant might easily be conveyed from one person to another, as, for instance, in shaking hands, the disease itself does not appear to be contagious. The treatment of primrose poisoning of course entails, first of all, the removal of the plants and the cleaning of all objects with which they may have been brought in contact. After the plants have been handled, and before the disease has declared itself, the trouble may often be averted by thoroughly washing the hands in 96 per cent, alcohol and then applying soap and water with a scrubbing brush. Tho eczema itself should be treated with soothing local applications, such as powders, antiseptic lotions, and cold-water bandages. Bathing with a weak solution of creolin has been found to give relief. In more severe stages the disease is treated with carbolic poultices, zinc ointment, and various other preparations ; but it is then time to consult a doctor. Gardeners who are obliged to handle Primula obconica should wear gloves when doing so, and should burn all leaves that are cut or that fall from the plant. A few other species of primrose are poisonous to particularly sensitive peo- j pie, especially the Chinese primrose, Primula Sinensis, so commonly cultivated in gardens and greenhouses. Rare cases of poisoning by Primula mollis and Primula, cortusoides are on record, but, as far as known, all other speciee of the genus are harmless.