how come this plant is so bad for your skin ?
i read it causes bad skin complaints.

Having worked as a ranger on the S Devon coast path, strimming, I can assure
you that conact with this stuff on sunny days especially results in severe
burns/blisters




"HaaRoy" wrote in message
...
how come this plant is so bad for your skin ?
i read it causes bad skin complaints.



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In article ,
trevor.appleton wrote:
Having worked as a ranger on the S Devon coast path, strimming, I can assure
you that conact with this stuff on sunny days especially results in severe
burns/blisters

To some people. And not to others. As usual with such things!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

Nick Maclaren wrote:

In article ,
trevor.appleton wrote:
Having worked as a ranger on the S Devon coast path, strimming, I can assure
you that conact with this stuff on sunny days especially results in severe
burns/blisters

To some people. And not to others. As usual with such things!

Although many people are vulnerable to it if the sap on skin and strong sunlight
are both present. It isn't something to ignore - you will not feel the damage
until much much later and by then it is too late.

See for example: http://www.dermnetnz.org/dna.plant.d...s/hogweed.html

Nasty photosensitiser and a plant to treat with serious respect.

Regards,
Martin Brown

"HaaRoy" wrote in message
...
how come this plant is so bad for your skin ?
i read it causes bad skin complaints.

Why do you ask, you aren't considering growing some, are you?

Alan
--
Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk

HaaRoy wrote:

Hello HaaRoy

H how come this plant is so bad for your skin ?

Extremely acidic/alkili sap.

H i read it causes bad skin complaints.

It does. I still have small scars on my neck from strimming through it
ten years ago.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

HaaRoy wrote in message ...
how come this plant is so bad for your skin ?
i read it causes bad skin complaints.

It not only causes blisters but it sensitises the skin for months so
that sun will cause burns no matter what you try to do.

It is a notifiable weed and it is illegal to allow it to set seed.

Mike
www.british-naturism.org.uk

"Michael Berridge" wrote

It is a notifiable weed and it is illegal to allow it to set seed.

As is Ragwort but no one seems to know that around here - especially the
Council!!

Jaqy

in article , MC Emily at
wrote on 6/12/02 11:31 am:

"Michael Berridge" wrote

It is a notifiable weed and it is illegal to allow it to set seed.

As is Ragwort but no one seems to know that around here - especially the
Council!!

Jaqy


We think councils have virtually given up on ragwort! However, it won't do
the harm to humans (AFAIK) that Giant Hogweed will. A friend of ours had a
run-in with the latter last year and was quite dreadfully ill, plus
retaining photosensitivity.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk

In article ,
sacha wrote:

We think councils have virtually given up on ragwort! However, it won't do
the harm to humans (AFAIK) that Giant Hogweed will. A friend of ours had a
run-in with the latter last year and was quite dreadfully ill, plus
retaining photosensitivity.

I think that you are wrong there. I have heard a fair number of
reports of extreme reactions from the pollen - and it is a LOT harder
to avoid exposure to pollen than to avoid skin contact.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

in article , Nick Maclaren at
wrote on 6/12/02 1:52 pm:

In article ,
sacha wrote:

We think councils have virtually given up on ragwort! However, it won't do
the harm to humans (AFAIK) that Giant Hogweed will. A friend of ours had a
run-in with the latter last year and was quite dreadfully ill, plus
retaining photosensitivity.

I think that you are wrong there. I have heard a fair number of
reports of extreme reactions from the pollen - and it is a LOT harder
to avoid exposure to pollen than to avoid skin contact.


You mean you know of people having a worse reaction to ragwort pollen than
to contact with Giant Hogweed? I know when our chum had his accident, my
stepdaughter insisted he went to hospital which, thank goodness, he did.
He was completely covered from head to foot but some fibres got inside his
clothing. This stuff is very dangerous and he was ill for some weeks.
Here is a quote from a USA site about it: " The plant exudes a clear watery
sap which sensitizes the skin to ultraviolet radiation. This can result in
severe burns to the affected areas resulting in severe blistering and
painful dermatitis. These blisters can develop into purplish or blackened
scars. Proliferating populations in urban and suburban areas represents an
increasing public health hazard.
Giant hogweed is currently on the federal noxious weed list. It is listed as
a Class A weed on the Washingon State Noxious Weed List. Its placement on
these lists were due to its potential menace as a public health hazard. "
This site: http://members.aol.com/bhssouth/page12.html
has info on ragwort as it affects humans. This seems to be through the
consumption of milk, eggs or honey, not from direct contact. Certainly, I
have many friends with horses who regularly clear their land of ragwort and
I've never heard of one being affected by direct contact with this plant.
Giant Hogweed is another matter and I wouldn't like to see anyone think it
'safe' to handle.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk

In article ,
sacha writes:
|
| You mean you know of people having a worse reaction to ragwort pollen than
| to contact with Giant Hogweed? ...

That's what I heard. I believe that the reaction is much rarer,
but even more life threatening. If someone has it, the only
solution is to move to somewhere it doesn't grow. I cannot
swear that the information was true, but it seemed reliable.

I know lots of people who handle giant hogweed with no problems
(I am one), incidentally.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

"Nick Maclaren" wrote

I know lots of people who handle giant hogweed with no problems
(I am one), incidentally.

I've also handled Giant Hogweed with no ill effect. At the time I did it, I
didn't know of the hazards. However, there is also advice given when
handling Ragwort that says you should wear gloves and not allow it to touch
the skin. I'm not sure why this is, though.

Jaqy

In article , MC Emily
writes
"Michael Berridge" wrote

It is a notifiable weed and it is illegal to allow it to set seed.

As is Ragwort but no one seems to know that around here - especially the
Council!!

It's an 'injurious weed' under the 1959 Weeds Act and landowners have a
duty to stop it spreading, but does that mean it is 'notifiable'? - ie,
do you have a legal duty to tell someone about it if you have it?
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/

In article ,
(Nick Maclaren) wrote:

In article ,
sacha wrote:

However, it (ragwort) won't do
the harm to humans (AFAIK) that Giant Hogweed will.


Ragwort contains poisons which damage the liver of grazing animals who
eat it. Eating a lot in one go causes acute liver failure, eating a
little over a long time causes chronic liver failure.

Commonest way of animals ingesting ragwort is through hay made from
fields containing ragwort. Ragwort has a bitter taste when alive so
animals avoid it unless starving. When dead it loses that bitter taste.

You often see hay advertised as "ragwort-free".

The advice to horse owners is to "wear gloves" when removing ragwort to
stop the toxins being absorbed through our skin - liver failure maybe?

The Cinnabar Moth striped black and yellow caterpillars love ragwort -
perhaps they don't have livers!

Giant hogweed isn't the only plant with a sun-blistering skin effect.
The smaller cow parsley has a similar effect.