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About Urushiol Oil
The rash and itching caused by the poison ivy plant are actually allergic reactions. When the sticky sap of the plant is absorbed by the skin, the body begins to manufacture substances, called antibodies, which attach themselves to the chemicals in the poison ivy sap and prevent them from moving freely about our bodies.
If one is allergic to poison ivy, the body tends to overreact to the presence of the sap. In such instances, enormous amounts of antibodies are produced. These antibodies, in turn, produce large amounts of histamines, which cause the body tissue to become inflamed and swollen.
Urushiol Oil Is Potent
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Only 1 nanogram (billionth of a gram) needed to cause rash
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Average is 100 nanograms for most people
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1/4 ounce of urushiol is all that is needed to cause a rash in every person on earth
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500 people could itch from the amount covering the head of a pin
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Specimens of urushiol several centuries old have been found to cause dermatitis in sensitive people.
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1 to 5 years is normal for urushiol oil to stay active on any surface including dead plants
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Derived from urushi, Japanese name for lacquer
When the Japanese restored the gold leaf on the golden Temple in Kyoto, they painted the urushiol lacquer on it to preserve and maintain the gold. Guess you could say that you would be caught red handed if you stole it.
Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac
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Most common allergy in the country claiming half the population
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Sensitivity to urushiol can develop at any time
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Solutions or cures are those that annihilate urushiol
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Everyone appears to react slightly different to all the remedies.
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Covered by workers compensation in some states (CA, for example)
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First published records of poison ivy in North America date back to 1600s
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Poison Ivy coined by Captain John Smith in 1609
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Western Poison Oak discovered by David Douglas (1799-1834) on Vancouver Island. Douglas fir also named after him.
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People will serious deficiency in cellular (T-cell) immunity such as AIDS patients may not have problems with dermatitis.
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