I pinched out what I later assumed was a rose thorn from my finger earlier
today. It appears to be going yellow and lumpy. :-(

Nick suggested I iodine it - anyone any experience in un-infecting rose
thorn injuries?

(I'm /assuming/ it was a rose thorn, given I chopped down all my garden
roses yesterday, and one is particularly snaggley, but it could possibly
have been something else)

--

On 30 Jan 2011 22:15:34 GMT, wrote:

I pinched out what I later assumed was a rose thorn from my finger earlier
today. It appears to be going yellow and lumpy. :-(

Nick suggested I iodine it - anyone any experience in un-infecting rose
thorn injuries?

(I'm /assuming/ it was a rose thorn, given I chopped down all my garden
roses yesterday, and one is particularly snaggley, but it could possibly
have been something else)

Ouch!

AFAIK, iodine is now considered old hat as it can actually delay the
healing process. I've read somewhere that washing in soap and water is
as good as, if not better than, applying iodine.I swear by good old
TCP though I keep a stock of those little envelopes of antiseptic
wipes - the ones that sting like hell when you rub them on - in the
shed.

The rose thorn itself won't be a problem (assuming it's all out and
there isn't a titchy little bit broken off inside your finger!). It's
what was on the thorn or what took advantage of the hole in your
finger that's the issue.

The thing with antiseptics is that you need to get them on the wound
quickly. They're designed to stop the nasties getting under your skin.
If there's any nasty that's got in you may now need to think about an
antibiotic cream, lotion or potion, which is the second line of
defence. Check at your local pharmacy as there are some available over
the counter. Indeed, your pharmacist will probably be able to advise
on treatment if you show him/her your yellow lump.

If it doesn't go away soon, though, visit your GP. The "lumpy" bit's
normal but I don't like the "yellow".

Meanwhile milk it. Take thyself to thy bed in feigned agony and insist
on being waited upon. ;-))

Jake

Sacha wrote:
I don't want to be alarmist but get it looked at tomorrow if it hasn't
improved considerably. Some of the sprays used on roses are not kind
to humans and I do know of one person who was made dangerously ill.

No sprays on my roses, unless there's some residue left on the new ones that
went in last summer from before I bought them. (the climbing rose in the
front /may/ have had blackspot spray, but I didn't prune that - the ones in
the back /should/ have had blackspot spray, but we tend not to cos my
neighbour has an allergy, and I try to avoid over-medicating my plants)

OTOH, it may just be your body's natural defences kicking in, in which
case I'd put an antiseptic cream or a poultice on it overnight,
depending on your personal preference.

*nod*

Jake wrote:
Ouch!

Yup.

AFAIK, iodine is now considered old hat as it can actually delay the
healing process. I've read somewhere that washing in soap and water is
as good as, if not better than, applying iodine.

Hmm, Nick has iodine cream in the cupboard that was prescribed when he had
lumps cut out of his arm. I'm guessing it's meant to be useful for
something. :-)

I swear by good old
TCP though I keep a stock of those little envelopes of antiseptic
wipes - the ones that sting like hell when you rub them on - in the
shed.

I suggested TCP first, but .. it looks a bit too sealed over to be
effective, if that makes sense.

The rose thorn itself won't be a problem (assuming it's all out and
there isn't a titchy little bit broken off inside your finger!). It's
what was on the thorn or what took advantage of the hole in your
finger that's the issue.

Actually, it didn't start puffing up until after I took the thorn out.
Could be that I caused the damage myself. It was on the way /out/ of the
potato day today, and I had been sat outside playing I-spy with the kids, my
hands were probably filthy at the time. :-/

Meanwhile milk it. Take thyself to thy bed in feigned agony and insist
on being waited upon. ;-))

Ooh, it's Sunday ... perhaps my finger will drop off and I won't be able to
type by tomorrow ... !

Janet wrote:

...,ask your GP if your tetanus
protection is up to date.

Isn't this a good time to suggest to all gardeners that it is
worth ensuring that they are adequately jabbed up?

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

On 30/01/2011 22:15, wrote:
I pinched out what I later assumed was a rose thorn from my finger earlier
today. It appears to be going yellow and lumpy. :-(

Nick suggested I iodine it - anyone any experience in un-infecting rose
thorn injuries?

(I'm /assuming/ it was a rose thorn, given I chopped down all my garden
roses yesterday, and one is particularly snaggley, but it could possibly
have been something else)

The "modern" form of iodine is Povidone Iodine. I always took some on
holidays to exotic countries as it is active against bacteria, fungi,
and viruses. Very effective but still stings like hell!

Now to your finger. Be very careful and keep a close eye on it.
Believe it or not, but an infected finger is considered to be a medical
emergency, as to keep the infection in check the body tries to isolate
the finger. A couple of years ago in the afternoon I noticed the end of
my index finger swelling although there was no visible sign of injury (I
had done some gardening earlier in the day). It was painful, throbbing,
and very red and warm. Within a couple of hours the swelling was down
to the first joint. Another 4 hours and it was down to the second
joint. I could not bend the finger at all as the swelling had made the
skin so tight. When the swelling started to go below the finger, at
1030 at night I drove to the hospital A&E, where I was given an
injection of penicillin and some very powerful antibiotic tablets for a
week. Fortunately, after another 48 hours the swelling started to
subside, but it was an uncomfortable couple of days.

So don't think it's "just a finger"!

--

Jeff

On Jan 30, 10:15*pm, wrote:
I pinched out what I later assumed was a rose thorn from my finger earlier
today. *It appears to be going yellow and lumpy. *:-(

Nick suggested I iodine it - anyone any experience in un-infecting rose
thorn injuries?

(I'm /assuming/ it was a rose thorn, given I chopped down all my garden
*roses yesterday, and one is particularly snaggley, but it could possibly
*have been something else)

--

If you are lucky, it's one of the streptococci.
If you are unlucky, it's tetanus and you're gonna die. If you haven't
had your tetanus inoculations up to date.

On 31/01/2011 11:14, harry wrote:
On Jan 30, 10:15 wrote:
I pinched out what I later assumed was a rose thorn from my finger earlier
today. It appears to be going yellow and lumpy. :-(

Nick suggested I iodine it - anyone any experience in un-infecting rose
thorn injuries?

(I'm /assuming/ it was a rose thorn, given I chopped down all my garden
roses yesterday, and one is particularly snaggley, but it could possibly
have been something else)

--

If you are lucky, it's one of the streptococci.
If you are unlucky, it's tetanus and you're gonna die. If you haven't
had your tetanus inoculations up to date.

Neither is likely, but if one or the other, an infection by Clostridium
tetani is probably preferable to one of the antibiotic-resistant
haemolytic streps. Tetanus can be treated (even if you haven't been
inoculated) with antiserum (tetanus immunoglobulin) and antibiotics,
together with intensive therapy. If the convulsions can be controlled,
the outlook is good.

Infection with an antibiotic-resistant Group A haemolytic strep will
result in a quick downward spiral, with multi-organ failure along the
way.

--

Jeff

Just a quick update in case anyone had decided I had died overnight. :-)
It seems to have calmed down, my finger is still attached, it is still a
little red but it is only a small bump with a yellow spot in the middle and
it doesn't seem to be getting any worse.

I'll probably go with Janet's 'sterile pin' solution later if it doesn't go
away on its own.

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...

I pinched out what I later assumed was a rose thorn from my finger
earlier
today. It appears to be going yellow and lumpy. :-(

Nick suggested I iodine it - anyone any experience in un-infecting rose
thorn injuries?

Sterilise a sewing needle, while you soak your hand in a bowl with
some Dettol diluted in hot water. It may drain of its own accord. If
not, prick and drain the pus, soak it again to clean it out ,stick a
plaster on it to keep the hole clean,ask your GP if your tetanus
protection is up to date.

Janet

All good advice, though your doctor might consider giving you a course of
antibiotics.
Hydrogen peroxide might be of use - it will fizz up and the thorn will
possibly pop out.

Bill

Bread poultice is good for that. But I think the OP had already got the thorn out - his problem is whatever muck the thorn carried in with it.

kay wrote:
Hydrogen peroxide might be of use - it will fizz up and the thorn will
possibly pop out.

Bread poultice is good for that. But I think the OP had already got the
thorn out - his problem is whatever muck the thorn carried in with it.

Yup. Eventually went kind of Janet's way - had a hot bath and then dug the
whole surrounding area out with my nails whilst it was all still soft and
pliable. Not the most sensible idea, but it was getting annoying, and it
seems to have worked. I now have a very small scabbed over bit and no
inflamation. Yay.

"kay" wrote in message
...

Bill Grey;912237 Wrote:


Hydrogen peroxide might be of use - it will fizz up and the thorn will
possibly pop out.



Bread poultice is good for that. But I think the OP had already got the
thorn out - his problem is whatever muck the thorn carried in with it.
--
kay

Yes, I didn't read the bit about the thorn coming out until later.

An old poultice I remember my grandmother using was a "soap and sugar"
poultice. Seems a bit bizarre but apparently it worked well.

Bill

wrote in message
...
kay wrote:
Hydrogen peroxide might be of use - it will fizz up and the thorn will
possibly pop out.

Bread poultice is good for that. But I think the OP had already got the
thorn out - his problem is whatever muck the thorn carried in with it.

Yup. Eventually went kind of Janet's way - had a hot bath and then dug
the
whole surrounding area out with my nails whilst it was all still soft and
pliable. Not the most sensible idea, but it was getting annoying, and it
seems to have worked. I now have a very small scabbed over bit and no
inflamation. Yay.

Good luck.

Bill

Bill Grey wrote:
An old poultice I remember my grandmother using was a "soap and sugar"
poultice. Seems a bit bizarre but apparently it worked well.

makes it taste better when you put it in your mouth, but not enough to keep
it there! ;-)