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blowin · Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 3:39 am Post subject: injury from black & haw thorn

The ability of blackthorn to penetrate clothing and wellies is anecdotal . It is also said that scratches do not heal well , and that thorns can travel under the skin . I had reason to do some research on this last year and unfortunately it is all true . Blackthorn spikes do carry a toxin ( ? taxon ? -- something nasty anyway) so it is wise to do something if you get stabbed or scratched . But what ?
I got tangled up the other day . A friend recommended a poultice of grated raw potato . I have kept one on continuously and have to say that little thorns are now breaking the skin where I could feel but couldn't see them before . So that works . Thanks, Steve ( I know you are out there ! ) . Very Happy

I guess it would work for hawthorn , too , but i am told that the problem with those is not that they are "poisonous" , but they have little barbs which cause them to work their way in rather than out .
Any others remedies ??
BTW - this is just my own theory but from observation I would say that the toxin is only there in the spring . I have had problems and scars from then , but not later in the year eg when picking sloes .

wayoutwest · Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 184 Location: west clare

I can't give a remedy, but I can give another time one might need one... I was washed over the rocks by a strong wave last summer, and the barnacles made my leg really infected. I ended up quite sick from it, and my leg went green. (great look for my sister's wedding!!!) justb wondered if the same might have worked?

good news that they're coming out now. Have you tried zambuck? It's my failsafe goo. It can be bought on line or from some health food shops or wize chemists, comes from south aftrica and is made from a concoction of herbally smelling things. that was the only thing that sorted me out int the end.
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jon · Joined: 04 Feb 2007 Posts: 26 Location: South of Cork

Interesting posts. I have always been of the impression that the thorns of Haws etc do not carry toxins from the tree itself but from bird droppings and what ever muck that gets stuck to them. this can build up over the years. Young, this years thorns are no where near so bad. Having said this a splinter is a splinter and will fester if not got out. I know what you mean by getting infected after getting scratched by barnicals Wayoutwest. I have beed into Sub-Aqua in the past and any wound recieved while in the sea must be well cleaned. Salt water is an anti septic of course but there are other things that live in the sea that will cause infection. Coral poisoning for example.

blowin · Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 2:22 am Post subject:

Hi jon , re: the poison ( if there really is any from the tree itself ) -- a friend did a fair bit of searching the net to find an authoritative view on the subject . Even this turned out to be pretty obsure . If I remember correctly the source was a paper published by medics who specialise in micro-surgery within tissue around the joints . They had found that some apparently inexplicable pain and / or disability was caused by very small splinters of blackthorn which had travelled some distance from the original wound . ( These would not show on xray , of course ) . They noted a toxin which had not been identified before . It is slow release . The most "obvious" / common remedies eg anti-biotic might give temporary relief but no long term cure . They even commented that the usual length of time it took someone to seek medical help was 12 weeks after getting stabbed . I don't know whether this is generally accepted but it " feels " right , as in my hand hurts far more than it should ! .
I don't think the bird poo / dirt explanation would apply here -- there are relatively few birds in a lot of thorn , and the amount of rain we get would wash anything away Laughing

. Have to admit my hands were pretty grubby tho ' .
Friend is trying to remember the exact source . I will post a link if he can find it .
Around the Med they use a poultice of raw onion to draw sea urchin spines . It makes me shudder to think of being scraped by barnacles or coral !

blowin · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:10 am Post subject:

Apparently crumbled white bread also makes a good poultice , particularly if warmed in milk . If you have lots of little thorns , plunge your whole hand into the mix then bandage / wrap it up without washing . ( I guess a light cotton glove might do nicely ) .

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Me Granny used to mix mustard with the bread poltice. Dunno if it did any good though.
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keithrawlins · Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 152 Location: banbridge

we allways use a bread poltice.

steve · Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Posts: 17 Location: leitrim

In relation to the sea thing, you have to be carefull handling spiky seafish, as these puncture wounds become infected,
Steve

Jack · Joined: 04 Mar 2007 Posts: 71 Location: North Otago

Gidday

I am not sure they would be any worse than a bloody pheonix palm but I have had a hawthorn and yes it did hurt.

If you want anything at all to heal you caint beat comfrey, but that will not get a thorn out, just heal over the top of it.
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GB · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 317 Location: Ireland

We have a bit of black thorn in the hedge and darling son number one stabbed himself the other day. No splinter but lots of pain Sad

I used my stock remedy for anything of the sort............an aloe poultice. I take a section of aloe leaf and peel it so just the core remains and place that on the wound. As these things usually happen on fingers nothing beats a baby sock for keeping it in place. You can use any bandage really but a little sock works a treat.

Result; pain gone inside of 2 hours Very Happy

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