THE POISON IVY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 45, 22 August 1938, Page 10

THE POISON IVY

WIDESPREAD GROWTH

A TARANAKI INVESTIGATION

NOT FOLLOWED UP

(Written for "The Post.")

In the following article the writer adds definite evidence that the Rhus toxicodendron (the American poison ivy, so easily confused with the genuine Virginian creeper) is widespread In New Zealand, and makes a charge that though the dangerous characteristics of the plant were established by a careful investigation made as a result of a series of severe poisonings at a school at Matau, Taranaki, in 1925, no effective action was taken by the several Government Departments— Agriculture, Health, and Education — which should have been interested. Those Departments, states the writer, should have a complete record of the investigations made at Matau, yet it was left to "The Post"—thirteen years later —to warn the public of the dangerous plant. The writer suggests the probability of a rhus planted at the oTd 65th Regimental Barracks at New Plymouth being the parent plant of poison ivy now widespread in New Zealand. Matau is an isolated valley 25 miles from Stratford and 30 miles from Inglewood? in the hinterland of the .Toko line. For a number of years children attending the school had suffered from a skin disease so severe that during the quarters from October to April the average attendance seldom exceeded 20, the school roll fluctuating from 26 to 31. The trouble reached its climax in 1925, when the then sole teacher, Mr. S., was taken to the New Plymouth Hospital, and the then schools medical officer paid a visit to the school with the avowed intention of finding a reason to order its demolition. Nothing was done. The succeeding teacher, Mr. N., did not take long to form the opinion that the.trouble was caused by something in the soil or by some plant or shrub growing in the school grounds. The buildings were thoroughly disinfected and fumigated weekly, but still the "rash" persisted. DIAGNOSED AS ERYSIPELAS. The first severe cases after the investigation commenced were twt> sixth standard pupils, Hilda A. and Alex S. Both children were taken to Stratford and admitted to hospital. The complaint was diagnosed as erysipelas and was treated accordingly. The teacher, a returned soldier, disagreed with the diagnosis as the symptoms were, in his , opinion, similar to mustard gas burns. When the usual lotions for erysipelas were applied the children were in agony and palliatives had to be administered to relieve the pain. The children recovered from the malady in their own homes. Perhaps it was a coincidence that both children wepre fair-haired! and fair-skinned. The next cases were sister and brother, Noeline" and Paul D., nine and six years old respectively. Paul, who was inclined to medium colouring, was not seriously affected, but Noeline, who was a vivid blonde with a beautifully delicate skin, was seriously ill. She temporarily lost her sight, and her cheeks, nose, and lips swelled to such an extent that her eyes were invisible. The tongue swelled to such an extent that for two days the patient was in grave 'danger of suffocation, and was only conscious at intervals. The patients responded to the treatment of olive oil, and were out of danger by the sixth day." TEACHER AND CHILDREN INVESTIGATE. In the meantime the mystery „ was being treated as a problem in nature study. Even the possibility of radium burns was not dismissed, and samples of soil from different parts of the grounds were sent to Messrs. Kempthorrie, Prosser for analysis. Plants, grasses, flowers, and shrubs were identified and classified. The teacher himself was next affected, by slight burns on both arms, but by then an effective treatment was known —oil was applied, no water was allowed on the affected parts, which were protected from sun and wind. Portions of the grounds were isolated in turn by the use of wire netting barriers, and it was found that when the school summer house was shut off fresh cases did not occur. The only unidentified and unclassified plant in the school grounds was growing on that summer house. The problem was submitted to the senior instructor in agriculture to the Taranaki Education Board and a living plant was sent to him for investigation. Nothing was done, however, by the Education Board or the Health Department, and the investigator, in desperation forwarded a complete plant direct to the Wallaeeville Laboratory for identification and report. From the Wallaeeville Laboratory came the following telegraphed reply: Sole Teacher, Matau. Your sample received. Rhus Toxicodendron, sometimes called poison oak. Member of sumach family; native swamps Florida; sometimes upright, sometimes creeping; throws off a poison gas; deadly. Has been known to cause death. \ Destroy with vitriol. —Agriculture. £ The summer house and its deadly \ plant were fired, and with their destruction ended the "Matau rash." TRACING THE CREEPER BACK. Having solved the mystery of the Cause of the poisoning, endeavours were next directed to ascertain how such.a plant had arrived in the isolated valley. It was found that the plant had reached the school as a cutting from a private garden in the district, and again cuttings were traced back to a garden in Te Kuiti, and back again to the garden of a storekeeper I in Devon Street, New Plymouth. This in turn had come from a vine growing over some rocks on the old Sixty- ; fifth Regiment b.arrack ground, near the New Plymouth Boys' High School. \ In all cases there was a history of \ an unidentified rash among members *" of the households concerned. f As the investigations progressed • the findings were entered in the na- l ture study books of the senior pupils c and in the school log book and were forwarded with monthly reports to the Education Board. . v It is interesting to note that all ? plants afterwards located by ■the investigator in Martoh, ■ Wanganui, g Lower Hutt, Northland, and Ngaio can claim the parentage of the mother plant on Barracks Hill, New Plymouth.

Correspondents have written further as to the value of "The Post's" articles in calling attention to* the danger of Rhus poisoning. Their letters will be referred to in a later article.