Treatment of Ivy Poisoning by Rhus Tincture and Antigen

Until Strickler 1 developed his method of the treatment of ivy poisoning by the internal administration of of rhus and the intramuscular injection of an antigen prepared from the plant, the treatment of a well established case was purely expectant. All kinds of lotions and salves were recommended, and many drugs were employed for internal administration, but there is no evidence that anything did any good except what a wise physician has called tincture of time. These remarks do not apply to the mild and especially to the early cases, when there is no more than a little itching and a few small vesicles: in most of these cases thorough and repeated washing with soap and warm running water is effective, as we know from personal experience as well as by trial on others; and there is good evidence that applications of a warm slightly acidulated 1 per cent.