POISONING BY PRIMULA

Evening Star, Issue 19994, 11 October 1928, Page 4

POISONING BY PRIMULA

THE LATEST TERROR SYDNEY GARDENER’S LIFE DESPAIRED OF. Through contact with one of the commonest winter flowering plants in suburban gardens, a Sydney professional gardener has for seven months lain at the point of death (says an Australian paper). . .. His case is regarded by specialists as extraordinary, and emphasises the unrecognised menace to amateur gardeners and others in one of our most popular garden plants. Mr Spahno is a well-known Sydney master gardener, whoso skill in his profession is proverbial. He has supervised the construction and upkeep of many largo garden g ounds and was for a time in charge of tho garden of a wealthy Japanese business man whose flower beds were one of tho “ show sights” of Sydney. Early this year Mr Spahno was at work on a flower bed bordered by the ornamental plant known as Primula Malacoides. Ho had a_ small cut or abrasion on his hand diich ho had not covered with a bandage, believing the hurt trivial. During his work this injured hand came into contact with several of tho border primulas. Later in the day ho was using a spray containing lime and sulphur, some of which fell on the cut, sealing it. Thereafter, tho trouble, which was believed due to the primula, began. His baud swelled up and turned black. Maddening pain and irritation set in, and lie grew so ill that a doctor was called, and tho patient was hurried to Royal Prince Allred Hospital as a case of acute “ blood poisaning.”_ “ Blood poisoning ” (septicremia) is a term which is usually confined to general invasion of the body _hy the germs of sepsis, which have gained access through some break in the skin. It was soon discovered, however, that Air Spahno’s symptoms wore not typical of the usual germ infection. Acute septicaemia runs a _ rapid course. Within ten days the patient is usually either better or dead, though complete recovery is often prolonged. But in Mr Spahno’s case tho skin turned black and ultimately peeled off, and, spreading from his originally infected hand, maddening irritation set in which the physicans were unable to alleviate. For a time his lifo was despaired of. Skin disease experts were now called in, and many leading Macquarie street specialists saw tho patient, whose case admittedly puzzled them. Finally they came to the conclusion that tho case was actually one of “ Primula-poison-ing.” That tho primula can bo an excessively dangerous plant was recognised in England as far back as 1910, when there was an outbreak of poisoning among professional gardeners. At that time a craze started for a hothouse plant named Primula Obconcia, known popularly as Chinese Primrose. When handled, minute hairs from tho plant remained on tho skin, setting up first itching and then a spreading inflammation which proved very difficult of treatment.

Tho primula favoured by Australian gardeners is tho Malacoides type, a hardy plant which in this climate can be grown anywhere out-of-doors. Up to the present it has not been considered particularly poisonous. In tho case of Mr Spahno, however, the poisoning was of a virulent type, and (what is a disquieting point) spread in spite of tho physicians’ efforts, to cover the whole or his body. No treatment could bring relief. Finally, after Mr Spahno bad been several weeks in hospital, tho doctor’s said they could do nothing further, and ho was taken borne.

Ho is still bedridden, having remained thus for seven months. His wife says there has been no change in his condition since he left the hospital, which (as the physicians could not alleviate his sufferings) ho left in little better condition than ho entered.

Mr Spahno at present lies in bis own home in tho Blue Mountains (N.S.’V.). Tho skin of his body remains discoloured, and (in spite of treatment) the maddening irritation continues day and night unchecked. Naturally ho has grown very weak, being quite worn out with pain, and physicians are doubtful as to whether he will ever regain his health. . .

This case is of unique interest both to the medical profession and the layman. Admittedly there is some doubt as to the extent of the role played by the primula in the original seizure. But there seems little doubt as to tho final result being duo to the plant or to fairly frequent occurrence of primula poisoning among gardeners (either amateurs or professional), who handle tho plant. One well-known skin specialist consulted by “ Smith’s ” said that Primula Malacoides was responsible for many minor cases of poisoning, and that there was some doubt as to source of the plant poison, some believing it a toxin contained in tho pollen. Apparently such types of plant poisoning are not well understood. Recent research has unearthed a large class of skin trouble due to common garden plants. The best known is that due to “ poison ivy,” a creeper common in America. It has been traced to an oil which is not only left on the skin when handling it, lut is blown by the wind from withered ivy leaves. Another skin poison is contained in the ordinary daffodil and narcissus, and sets up “ fily-rash ” in flower pickers when these blooms are grown commercially. Still another exists in ti-treo and many types of eucalyptus. Children who climb ti-trees are liable to contract an irritating skin rash. J. H. Maiden, doyen of study of Australian gums, pointed out (so long ago as 1904) that grey gum, spotted gum, and ‘‘box” would sot up dermotitis (skin inflammation) not only to those handling them, but to any susceptible persons in their proximity.

The latter statement is significant in view of the belief of some skin specialists that primula poisoning is due to pollen, and hence might possibly bo carried to a biumr being by Hid wind.

It certainly seems timely, in yieiv of tho terrible result the case of Dir Spahno, to warn tho general public against Primula Malacoides, this pretty plant so common in suburban gardens. The plant should never bo handled without gloves—better still, anyone with a sensitive skin (in view of wind-boruo poison) should avoid growing this dangerous bloom at all. _ , , In fact, there is room for inquiry by the healtli authorities as to the extent of plant poisoning, in order that in tbf case of such plants restrictions slioulc bo imposed on their sale.