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夏天野草總是瘋長，街邊，石頭縫隙，隻要有些土的地方，這野草就熱鬧非凡，周末除草就是一件常常要做的家務事，我無知也沒有太多的保護意識，總是徒手去拔草，每次拔草後，渾身會癢，總以為是蚊子或者什麽蟲咬的，洗個澡後也就沒事了。前些天我看見屋旁的一塊麵積不大的地上，野草長得很高了，地方太小，除草器不方便，於是我就蹲下去，沒戴手套就拔了起來，尤其拔掉了十幾棵葉子鋸齒形的野草（poison ivy 當時我不知道哎）。過了一天還是兩天，早上醒來發現肚子上齊癢，有紅點，我猜測誰咬了我，蜘蛛？蚊子？bedbug？
於是塗了國內帶來的風油精，房間大清理，蚊蟲咬的搽了風油精後，以往一兩天就沒事了，但這次越來越癢，兩三個星期都過去了，紅點越來越大，好像多了不少，像是在漫延，我剛看過一個documentary movie說是有些人不小心在野外被寄生蟲鑽進了皮膚，終身得病，痛苦萬分。我害怕起來，我想我是不是也遭到了寄生蟲的侵襲了，這不像是蚊子咬的，這奇癢還帶著奇痛。後來到醫院給醫生一看，醫生脫口而出：poison ivy.
我不懂什麽是poison ivy，以為是什麽蟲子。醫生問我，你是不是拔過草？是不是沒帶手套？我說是啊。我才明白poison ivy是weed。上麵兩張是我後來在房子後院拍的片片，這是poison ivy的一種。醫生告訴我，poison ivy 是種很普遍的野生毒草，見土就長，會釋放一種油質，這油有毒會滲進衣服觸到皮膚感染發炎，奇癢奇痛，要很長時間才會好。醫生讓我到Walgreen買專藥來塗。
我感到納悶，我是用手拔的，沒用肚子拔，為什麽是肚子而不是手指感染了呢？我在網上找到了這個答案：
The rash can appear on different parts of the body at various times. This may happen because the parts were exposed at different times, or because areas with thicker skin are less easily penetrated by the oil. The delicate skin of the genital and perianal areas, for example, is more easily breached than tougher skin on the hands.
我拔草時可能在肚子上抓繞過，而拔草後進屋是馬上洗了手的。
從醫院回家後我買了這種藥。說明上明確標明是針對poison ivy的。
每天3次，塗了一陣，果然有效，我看見紅點開始發黑，不再向外擴大了，每天還是癢，但可以忍受了。我不敢再徒手拔草了，真不知道哪種草有毒，會冷不丁地咬你一口。
我古狗查了poison ivy的信息。Poison ivy中文叫毒藤，你徒手去拔時，會接觸到the plant’s oily sap, urushiol（漆酚）. Poison ivy的stems, roots, flowers and berries all contain urushiol.下麵是我在網上看到的一篇講poison ivy的文章，直接copy過來。
“ (ZT) …Touching or brushing against any of these plant parts, even if they are dead, can cause a reaction. The sap is hardy and can cause a rash in the dead of winter, or even a year after contaminating clothing or shoes that are not thoroughly cleaned.
Urushiol shows up elsewhere, including in the skin of mangoes (and the leaves and bark of the mango tree), as I discovered when I ate a mango still in the rind and ended up with a blistering rash on my mouth. Cashew shells also have the toxin, which is why cashews are sold shelled and processed (either roasted or in the case of “raw” cashews, steamed) at a temperature high enough to destroy urushiol. Poison ivy is not the only problem plant one might encounter while hiking, camping or simply strolling in the countryside. T. radicans has two relatives, poison oak and poison sumac, that don’t always form the classic clusters but are equally toxic troublemakers.
First, learn to recognize the plants in their various growth patterns. While poison ivy is most often encountered as a small ground plant, it also grows as a shrub and vine. The vines, which turn bright red in fall, were once used to adorn buildings in England.
Poison oak, which has compound leaves made up of three (or sometimes five) leaflets, usually grows as a shrub, but will form a vine in the Western states.
Poison sumac, which grows as a tall shrub or small tree, produces leaves with rows of paired leaflets and a single leaflet at the end. It likes a wet habitat, growing in peat bogs in the Northeast and Midwest and swamps in the Southeast.
Urushiol can penetrate cloth. Although long sleeves, pants and gloves can reduce the risk of exposure, they cannot guarantee protection. Even rubber gloves can be breached. If you must handle the plants or are likely to contact poison ivy when gardening, wear vinyl gloves.
You don’t have to touch the plant directly to react to urushiol. Gardening tools, sporting equipment, even a pet that has been in a patch of poison ivy — all can cause a reaction.
Before possible exposure, use an over-the-counter skin-care product containing bentoquatam (IvyBlock) to prevent or reduce absorption of urushiol. The combination of this barrier product and protective clothing is your best defense against an inadvertent encounter.
Contrary to popular belief, a poison ivy rash is not contagious. It cannot be spread by oozing blisters, or by scratching or touching the rash. Only direct contact with urushiol causes a reaction. (Scratching can result in an infection, however.)
Never try to burn a poison plant. Burning releases the toxin, which may land on skin or, worse, be inhaled and cause a serious internal reaction.
Should you contact a urushiol-containing plant, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends washing your skin immediately. Lukewarm, soapy water is best, but even plain water can limit exposure to the sap. Take care in removing contaminated clothing, and wash it separately as soon as possible.
You can relieve a rash by applying cool compresses with an astringent like Burow’s solution, soaking the affected area in colloidal oatmeal, or using calamine lotion; all are sold over the counter. Do not apply products containing a topical antihistamine, like Benadryl, which can cause a sensitivity reaction that makes matters worse.
Severe reactions may require medically prescribed treatment with an oral corticosteroid like prednisone.”
我碼字辛苦，你看完了也辛苦，輕鬆一下聽首歌，看個老電影吧。
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