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Fern health risk ?
While sat in the garden the other day, my father noticed a fern and warned
me that he has seen something on television stating that one or more types were a risk to children's eyesight. Did anyone else see this or have an opinion ? Thanks |
Fern health risk ?
"Kev" wrote in message ... While sat in the garden the other day, my father noticed a fern and warned me that he has seen something on television stating that one or more types were a risk to children's eyesight. Did anyone else see this or have an opinion ? Thanks A Google search brings up some information on "the common Male Fern, often known as Dryopteris Filix-mas (Linn.), and assigned by other botanists to the genera Lastrea, Nephrodium and Polypodium," which also says that it has various medicinal uses and it mentions that in too large doses it is an irritant poison, causing muscular weakness and coma, and has been proved particularly injurious to the eyesight, even causing blindness." I don't know if that's what your're looking for. |
Fern health risk ?
"Kev" wrote in message ... While sat in the garden the other day, my father noticed a fern and warned me that he has seen something on television stating that one or more types were a risk to children's eyesight. Did anyone else see this or have an opinion ? Thanks ********************* Don't know, but if you're going up the fells keep away from the bracken. Sometimes the stuff's riddled with nasty ticks. Doug. ******************** |
Fern health risk ?
"Douglas" wrote in message ... "Kev" wrote in message ... While sat in the garden the other day, my father noticed a fern and warned me that he has seen something on television stating that one or more types were a risk to children's eyesight. Did anyone else see this or have an opinion ? Thanks ********************* Don't know, but if you're going up the fells keep away from the bracken. Sometimes the stuff's riddled with nasty ticks. Surely you don't begrudge the little ticks their dindins? Franz |
Fern health risk ?
On Tue, 1 Jun 2004 16:48:25 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote: "Douglas" wrote in message ... "Kev" wrote in message ... While sat in the garden the other day, my father noticed a fern and warned me that he has seen something on television stating that one or more types were a risk to children's eyesight. Did anyone else see this or have an opinion ? see www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/bps/siman.pdf for health risks from bracken spores Thanks ********************* Don't know, but if you're going up the fells keep away from the bracken. Sometimes the stuff's riddled with nasty ticks. Surely you don't begrudge the little ticks their dindins? Lyme Disease is carried by ticks. An infectious disease caused by a bacterium which is spread to humans by tick bites. It is characterised initially by an expanding red rash at the site of the bite often accompanied by headache, muscle and joint aches and fever. It occurs throughout Europe (including the UK), the United States, Coastal regions of Australia, China and Japan where it is confined to wooded regions. Repellents containing DEET have been found to be useful but if an embedded tick is discovered, slowly pulling it out with tweezers is the best method of removal and the affected person should remain alert to the development of any symptoms. If a rash appears at the site of attachment, immediate medical attention should be sought. Lyme disease is effectively treated with oral penicillin or tetracyclines. |
Fern health risk ?
"Douglas" wrote in message ... "Kev" wrote in message ... While sat in the garden the other day, my father noticed a fern and warned me that he has seen something on television stating that one or more types were a risk to children's eyesight. Did anyone else see this or have an opinion ? Thanks ********************* Don't know, but if you're going up the fells keep away from the bracken. Sometimes the stuff's riddled with nasty ticks. Doug. ******************** I never heard of the eyesight risk, but have heard that areas of dense fern planting (like say, the side of a mountain) should be avoided during spore release time as these are allegedly carcinogenic. Not that we haven't just about heard the same thing about just about everything else so far. Patrick |
Fern health risk ?
"Douglas" wrote in message ... "Kev" wrote in message ... While sat in the garden the other day, my father noticed a fern and warned me that he has seen something on television stating that one or more types were a risk to children's eyesight. Did anyone else see this or have an opinion ? Thanks ********************* Don't know, but if you're going up the fells keep away from the bracken. Sometimes the stuff's riddled with nasty ticks. Doug. ******************** I never heard of the eyesight risk, but have heard that areas of dense fern planting (like say, the side of a mountain) should be avoided during spore release time as these are allegedly carcinogenic. Not that we haven't just about heard the same thing about just about everything else so far. Patrick |
Fern health risk ?
The message
from martin contains these words: see www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/bps/siman.pdf for health risks from bracken spores It's the ticks from deer (especially) which carry Lyme disease. Look at www.lyme.org -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
Fern health risk ?
martin wrote:
snips ... Lyme Disease is carried by ticks. An infectious disease caused by a bacterium which is spread to humans snips ... Why do so many people worry about rare and uncommon diseases and dangers, which they are very unlikely ever to encounter and studiously ignore tobacco, alchohol, junk food, road traffic, etc? -- Larry Stoter |
Fern health risk ?
"Larry Stoter" wrote in message . co.uk... martin wrote: snips ... Lyme Disease is carried by ticks. An infectious disease caused by a bacterium which is spread to humans snips ... Why do so many people worry about rare and uncommon diseases and dangers, which they are very unlikely ever to encounter and studiously ignore tobacco, alchohol, junk food, road traffic, etc? -- Larry Stoter Indeed, there is a well known 'ecologist' who can be regularily seen or heard or read castigating us about the evils of pollution etc. This same person can also be seen chain smoking rollups.(never mind the direct damage to himself from the ciggie, there is a lot of ecological damage caused by tobacco growing) -- Tumbleweed Remove my socks for email address |
Fern health risk ?
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Fern health risk ?
In message , Jaques
d'Alltrades writes Depends where you are. If there are deer about, Lyme disease is not rare. Very often it is not recognised though. (And near here we have red, roe and muntjack, and I've seen fallow and sika not ten miles away. Not a lot of bracken though.) I lived in the Eastern US in the sixties, and there was very little Lyme disease there then. In the years since then it has proliferated - I know at least a half-dozen people who have had it and were incapacitated for long periods, including two teenagers who spent a year each in wheelchairs. So, yes, worth worrying about. :(( -- Klara, Gatwick basin |
Fern health risk ?
On Wed, 2 Jun 2004 14:01:48 +0100, klara
wrote: In message , Jaques d'Alltrades writes Depends where you are. If there are deer about, Lyme disease is not rare. Very often it is not recognised though. (And near here we have red, roe and muntjack, and I've seen fallow and sika not ten miles away. Not a lot of bracken though.) I lived in the Eastern US in the sixties, and there was very little Lyme disease there then. In the years since then it has proliferated - I know at least a half-dozen people who have had it and were incapacitated for long periods, including two teenagers who spent a year each in wheelchairs. So, yes, worth worrying about. :(( There were about 250 cases reported in UK last year, it's often not recognised by the professionals. Part of the increase reported is due to increasing awareness of Lyme's disease. |
Fern health risk ?
The OP's question rang a bell but I've only just remembered, rather late, what I'd heard about fern (or rather bracken) and eyes. In west Scotland, farmers used to cut bracken to use dried as free cattle bedding in winter. If you've ever handled dry bracken you'll know it easily splinters. Apparently, the little sharp bits of broken bracken would cause trouble when they got into the cows' eyes in the byre. This could be the basis of the threat to children's eyes he'd heard about; a child walking through bracken is being brushed by it at face-level. Janet. |
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