Actually, I have had a case of poison ivy substantially ameliorated
overnight thanks to a native healer.  He needed my name; beyond that
what he did was between himself and the cosmos.  

Jewel weed (aka, touch-me-not, ((it's a variety of wild Impatiens)))
grows around here and people swear by its juices to relieve the itching
associated with poison ivy.  Doesn't work for me.  I use the long
sleeves, Ivy Block, and Tec-Nu; all reduce the misery of itching,
swelling, and oozing.  Another thing that I have been using lately for
small breakouts is the acne medication oxy-10.  It's over-the-counter
and effective at drying the small blisters; can't recommend it for
large, juicy ones--it's too strong.

Jane
  

Jane L. Brown 
Anthropology/Sociology
101 McKee Building 
Western Carolina University 
Cullowhee, NC 28723-9646 
  
[log in to unmask] 
Telephone:  828.227.2444 
FAX:  828.227.7061 


-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Suzanne M. Gurenlian
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 6:43 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: poison oak/ivy - long sleeves method


Has anyone any contact with a Native American healer? They may have just
the solution to the problem.
--
It is within the boundaries of love that you discover life. Enjoy it!


Quoting Carol Serr <[log in to unmask]>:

> I have done this...yet broken out with it on places that my skin never

> could have touched.  For some folks...it seems to be caused thru 
> contact...while others...it becomes systemic...gets absorbed (even 
> into the lungs)...then comes out in sweat gland areas...etc. And 
> there's always the possibility of contamination when one removed their

> clothing...or the oils get on the seat in the car...and you contact it

> late on...
>
> I would think one would build up a resistance to the Bad 
> stuff...rather than get more sensitive...but it sure isnt consistent.
>
> At 05:18 PM 12/1/03 -0500, you wrote:
> >There is always the gloves/long sleeves option, to keep the oils off 
> >your skin in the first place.  (Having worked on a project where the 
> >"hidden" poison ivy roots debilitated someone else for a week; I was 
> >wearing long sleeves, and escaped.)
>