Bad time today, Caution, this is not a pain free endeavor.

[Jerry]

One before I propagated "Sticks of Fire" and rubbed my eye.  There was a good hour of great discomfort, but today  I really did it big time.
I made cuttings from an African succulent and evidently did the  sames stunt again.  I was moaning intensely.
Told wife if this keeps up we may go to the ER.  Finally called my DR.  The guy covering for him NEVER called back.
probably feeding his Camel (yeah not nice) but this jerk screwed me once before. I will tell my Doc.
My wife called the eye Dr, good thinking!  he called back pronto even though he was at a wedding (not his)
We were treating it right with flushes, eye drops and ice.  he called it Chemical conjunctivitis. Said it could last 2 days!!!
It is 4 hours and I am human again and back here.  Still discomfort but it's easy.
I will post a photo of the dangerous plant.  Yes, all are if not handled properly.  I nave had pain before, but this one had me very vocal. I said things like @$@&%$*&%%$# ! and worse.
Have any of you done this?

[Missa]

Yep, we have what's called an african milk tree (euphorbia). Some how I got some of this on my hands helping him repot or something some broken pieces.

I guess I rubbed my eyes, it was horrible .... could hardly see, stinging & pain for a while. Lasted a long while, too. After a few hours it got tolerable but wasn't completely better for another day or two.

[Jerry]

I guess it's a defensive mechanisim. I pity the critter that bites it! :'( :'(

[Kittyzee]

Yes Jerry, I say !@#$%&* all the time and even when my eyes don't hurt....     

Kidding aside, I'm glad you are on the mend again!

[Jerry]

Thanks LuAnn, pretty good now. I do feel drained, just like I was tortured. :'(

[Jonna]

Jerry, NEVER, EVER cut up chiles.   :'(


glad you're feeling better.

[Kittyzee]

Aw Jerry, that had to be awful!  I'm sorry--nothing makes you panic like having something in your eyes you can't get rid of.  It WOULD be torture--most plants have oils that water just doesn't seem to cut.  Our bodies are resilient things aren't they? 

[Krista]

owie! Can't even imagine!!

[Mikey]

Good to see you are able to type.  I've gotten Euphorbia's milky sap on my hands numerous times with no adverse reaction although I've read it can be pretty nasty, especially on sensitive skin.  A few weeks ago my brother noticed my large Euphorbia ingens in my yard and said he recently was pruning some branches of his E. ingens and some of the milky sap dripped onto his face.  It was hot and he was sweaty and proceeded to wipe it off with his hand.  After a few minutes his skin started to burn and he washed his face but the burning continued for another hour or so.  He said it was very painful and the skin eventually peeled as if he got a bad sunburn.  Nasty stuff....  I've never worn goggles when pruning my Euphorbia but after hearing of your scary experience and my brother's experience I think I will be wearing goggles next time I prune the plant.....

[karen J]

Jerry, NEVER, EVER cut up chiles.   :'(


glad you're feeling better.

Happens every time. It splashes in my eyes, or worse. Oh I could tell you horrible stories. Wear gloves!

Jerry, sorry about your pain. Wear gloves next time! Those hot oils can get into places you'd never imagine.  Well, maybe you can imagine. 

[Jerry]

The residue had to be on my fingers.  I know better than to touch the milky sap.
Rubbing the eye was the killer.
The eye DR called back to see how i was!  That alone is amazing.  Mitchell is the son. We have been going to DR Schultz, the father, for over 40 years!
 My Imternists guy NEVER did call back.  Iwill tell Dr May for sure. "Lose this jerk!"
Here is the villain.(sp)
My past experienes though not fun were a cake walk!
Chilis?  heck we know in advance how to handle them.

[EagleEye]

Eyes are nothing to mess with, but I'm glad it didn't last any longer than it did. When you talk to your doctor, you might not want to mention about the camel.

Look at the bright side, lucky you didn't have to take a leak

Steve

[Jerry]

Of course Steve, but it was my DR who referred to the Dr on call as a "Camel Driver!"
I was very POed when I wrote that.  I never did hear form the guy. 

An odd side effect I didn't mention.  It must have been a Diuretic.  The first hour I think I went every 10 mins!

[Esther]

This story reminds me of when I was a young woman and came home from an evening out. As I came into the breezeway, I could hear talking in the garage. Scared me half to death. Then realized it was a radio. Went to turn it off and found my dad lying on the back seat of the car. He had watched someone welding earlier in the day and had welder's burn on his eyes. I took him to the ER where they put drops in his eyes to deaden the pain and gave him a tube of something to take home. He said he couldn't stand the light even though his eyes were closed.

[Jerry]

Esther, did he make a good recovery?

[Esther]

Oh yes, I think he had to use the eye drops for a few days but that was when I was maybe 19-20 and mercy, I'm almost 66. He still doesn't wear glasses very much. Wish my eyes were as good as his.

By the way, is that plant what I would call a Poinsettia? I know they say the milk in one is poisonous to a pet.

[Vickie]

Oh I have that plant too. I have been advised not to let sap get on me.

[HOWELL]

omg glad nothing really happend if you get the withe stuff in your eyes you can get blind i saw it on discovery channel,
so happy it didnt go further

[Jerry]

The only sap was me!

[HOWELL]

one time i fell in a cactus

[miguynmkoi]

Wow, I learned something at your expense Jerry!  Glad you're alright now.  I will be more careful around my plants now.

[Jerry]

it was a African poinsettia.

I am fine.   Mother was right, Wash your hands!

[Julles]

Several people mentioned euphorbia - there are many types of euphorbia... Do ALL of them have dangerous sap, or just some of them?  I have a couple types in my yard, and will toss them, if they could cause harm to me or my pets.

[Jerry]

I did get rid of my Pencil Plant but really just be careful and keep out of your eyes.

I am surprised there is no list of dangerous plants?  mabe "we" need to make one?
Botonical names to be added
I'll start with 1. Pencil Plant

                  2.  African Poinsetta

[Joyce]

Your 'African Poinsettia' is actually Synadenium grantii rubra from Zimbabwe with a common name of African Milk Bush, not African Poinsettia.
It's called African Milk Bush because the sap bleeds white like milk.

Pencil Cactus is Euphorbia tirucalli. Will have white sap also.

Yes, all plants in the Euphorbia Family have toxic sap. Usually white.
This includes the Christmas Poinsettias, although only some people get reactions to Christmas Poinsettias, or any of the Euphorbias.
Just like allergies, only some people are affected.

If we tossed all toxic plants out of our yards, there wouldn't be much left.
Just about everything can be poisonous, just google 'poisonous garden plants'.
http://www.library.uiuc.edu/vex/toxiccomlist.htm
At least half the plants in your garden will be on that list. Do you really want to relandscape your entire yard?
If they've been in your yard for a while, and no pets have been poisoned, it's because most animals know better.
Should be applicable to humans too: Be responsible, know better: don't eat anything strange, and wash your hands after gardening. 

[Jerry]

I knew that!
Even the common Oleander that is prevasive in California is toxic as is the Castor Bean, a weed here.
The rule is if it's not food, use caution.

[Esther]

One time when Smokey was a puppy he was chewing on a hosta. The next thing I knew he was foaming at the mouth and gagging. I called the vet, figuring he was dieing. Nope said it just had an kind of irritant that bothers the mouth tissues and to wipe/rinse out what we could. Sure enough, it wasn't long and he was fine.

[LeeAnne151]

Poinsettias are actually not toxic. Though some other Euphorbias are toxic, Poinsettias aren't. There have been extensive tests done on them. It is an urban legend. They do appear on some toxic plant lists but it is because of the urban legend not the facts.

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/poinsettia.asp

There is nothing in florist or grower literature about anyone getting skin irritation from Poinsettia sap, there is about Alstroemeria and Obconica primroses but not Poinsettias, it just doesn't happen. Trust me, you get covered with sap when you grow them or sell them. There are hundreds of workers at greenhouses in the USA that would be affected if the sap was toxic to the skin. Poinsettias are one of the biggest potted plant crops. I've actually eaten Poinsettia bracts to shut up a customer who thought they should be illegal to sell and was throwing a fit in the store.  They are very bitter and no one would eat more than part of one on purpose.

The widespread belief that poinsettias are poisonous is a misconception. The scientific evidence demonstrating the poinsettia's safety is ample and well documented.

Studies conducted by The Ohio State University in cooperation with the Society of American Florists concluded that no toxicity was evident at experimental ingestion levels far exceeding those likely to occur in a home environment. In fact, the POISINDEX Information Service, the primary information resource used by most poison control centers, states that a 50-pound child would have to ingest over 500 poinsettia bracts to surpass experimental doses. Yet even at this high level, no toxicity was demonstrated.

As with all ornamental plants, poinsettias are not intended for human or animal consumption, and certain individuals may experience an allergic reaction to poinsettias. However, the poinsettia has been demonstrated to be a safe plant. In fact, in 1992, the poinsettia was included on the list of houseplants most helpful in removing pollutants from indoor air. So, not only is the poinsettia a safe and beautiful addition to your holiday decor, it can even help keep your indoor air clean!

Now, Oleanders and Caster Beans are very toxic. Caster bean seeds can kill a child or even an animal as big as a horse. Oleanders cause the worst problems if you burn them, the fumes are extremely toxic. I've never gotten skin irritation from them though.

Lilies are extremely toxic to cats. True lilies like Easter lilies, Oriental hybrid lilies, Asiatic hybrid lilies but you always see daylilies on the list too but they are edible. Lists are often wrong. Cats often chew on potted Easter lily leaves when they are indoor only and don't have access to fresh grass. When grown in the garden, they usually aren't a problem at all.

Daffodils, Azaleas, Rhododendrons and English ivy (Hedera helix) are also toxic. We are surrounded by toxic plants yet many don't ever cause any problems.

[Joyce]

I agree, they aren't deadly poisonous if you eat them, but Poinsettia's CAN cause skin rashes and itching with some people.
I am one of them. Get bad rash/hives, burning and itching.
The Van Bourgondiens have a green house right next to us here at work,
and grow poinsettia's seasonally, and several of their employess can not work with Poinsettia's.
It isn't common to get skin reactions to Poinsettia's, but it happens.

And guess what? I am also allergic to the sap of lotus. (which has white stringy sap)
When I pick a lotus flower or lotus pad, I get a rash/hives within 30 seconds.
Burns, itches, feels just like I rubbed fiberglass into my skin where the lotus sap touched.
ALso, when I took my boat into the lotus pond to harvest the lotus pods last fall,
was horrific within an hour, even my eyes swelled shut, had to rush home and shower, take benedryl.

[Jerry]

LeeAnne:  I trust you saw the photo of mine.  Not like the Xmas poinsettias at all.
It is possible there was another culprit.  I just don't know.

I do know it was awful!   :'( :'( :'( :'(