🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Jul1.213000.29278@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com> westphal@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Dorothy Westphal) writes:
>Only one thing in my long history has offered absolute proof
>against breaking out with poison oak after exposure, and
>it works only if used right away, BEFORE any symptoms show up.
>Bathe all exposed portions with Fels Naptha soap. This is not
>as easy to find as it used to be, but some larger markets
>still carry it. I advise anyone who MIGHT be hiking through the
>stuff to have this soap on hand ready for use as soon as
>possible after exposure. It smells terrible, but it works.

Actually, any good soap should work.  And if you don't have soap,
bathe anyway.  Also immediately remove any possibly contaminated
clothing and wash it immediately.

Basically, it can take the oil up to a few hours to penetrate the
skin.  If you don't immediately wash it off, you can spread the oil
and make the reaction worse by spreading it to other parts of your
body.  If you get it on your clothes, touching your clothes will get
it on you.  If you have a dog that happens to run through poison
oak (or poison ivy if you are east of the Rockies), you can get it
from your dog.

If you cannot get to a bath and happen to be near a stream, etc.,
go soak in the stream (don't forget to soak your clothing, too!).

Also, if you are allergic to poison oak and/or poison ivy (if you
are allergic to one, you are allergic to the other) -- LEARN HOW
TO RECOGNIZE IT!  Poison oak and poison ivy are very distinctive
and easy to recognize (except in winter when it loses its leaves).
The best protection against poison oak/ivy is not to contact it
in the first place.

-Pete Zakel
 (phz@cadence.com or ..!uunet!cadence!phz)

It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them.