4-H Health & Safety Lessons

Christmas Plants


Presented by Katie Maurer, 4-H Club Safety Leader.


Remember: Some holiday plants are pretty - but poisonous!
By Larry Caplan, Vanderburgh Co., IN Cooperative Extension Educator
As the festive holiday season draws closer, many people use live plants to decorate indoors. Red, white, and mutlicolored poinsettias abound everywhere. Wreaths, swags, and garlands made of varoius evergreens are displayed in many homes. And of course, there's my personal favorite, kissing under the mistletoe (but only with my wife!).
Every winter the Extension Office recieves numerous phone calls about whether these beautiful holiday plants are poisonous, either to children or their pets. I'm not a doctor, so for specific medical questions you should always call your family physician or your local hospital's emergency room.
However, I'd like to list a few common holiday plants and their dangers. Please note: even though a plant may be considered non-poisonous, some people may be sensitive or allergic to it, so handle these and other plants with care.
The most common holiday plant, with the most confused reputation, is the poinsettia. This member of the spurge family has long been believed to be a deadly plant. However, tests from several universities, including Ohio State University, don't bear that out. Rats have been fed large amounts of poinsettia leaves, bracts(the colored leaves that people mistakenly call flowers), and flowers (the parts that people mistakenly call berries). None has shown any ill effects, so most universities, as well as the Society of American Florists, now state that poinsettias are not poisonous. However, some people have reported developing a skin rash from the milky sap, which oozes from broken stems or leaves.
Mistletoe is a parasitic weed which grows on and into many trees, yet has been considered a special plant since the earlist of European civilization, even being worshiped by ancient Druids. The white berries bound in clumps of fresh mistletoe are very poisonous. When eaten, the berries can cause cramps, vomiting, diarrhea and slow heartbeat.
Fresh mistletoe, especially with the berries, should not be used in homes with small children. You might want to dispose of the berries before hanging it or use an alternative plant.(Be honest---who's going to be looking that closely?)
Holly is another holiday favorite whose use dates back to the Druids. The striking contrast between the dark green foliage and the bright red or yellow berries makes it popular today. Holly berries, however, are considered poisonous and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. This is another plant that, though beautiful, probably should be avoided in homes with small children.
Most of the common evergreen trees and shrubs used in holiday decorations such as pine, spruce and juniper, are not considered poisonous. However, some people use boxwood and yew(Taxus) in arrangements. The leaves and twigs of boxwood can cause stomach pains and vomiting; large amounts can cause convulsions. All parts of the yew are poisonous, especially the seeds(which shouldn't be a problem at this time of year). Yew can cause diarrhea, vomiting, muscle weekness, dilated pupils, convulsions, and coma.
Christmas cactus is a succulent plant that has flattened, smooth, spinless joints. During the winter, it can produce tubular, red blooms. This plant has not been known to be poisonous.
Ornamental peppers are also sometimes seen now. The miniature fruit is edible, but very hot. The leaves of the peppers may be toxic, as are the leaves of closely related tomato and potato plants.
For specific questions about poisons, their symptoms, and first aid, contact your family doctor or the emergency room of your local hospital (if your pet may have consumed a poisonous plant, contact your veterinarian). In the Evansville area, you can call the following:
Deaconess Poison Control Center, 426-3333.
St. Mary's Medical Center emergency room, 485-4491.
Welborn Baptist Hospital emergency room, 426-8253.
Indiana Poison Control Center (for the whole state), (800) 382-9097
If you have any questions about the care and selection of holiday plants, feel free to contact the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service at (812) 435-5287.
Also mark your calendars for our annual Christmas Tree Recycling Day on Jan. 3 at the Evansville civic Center parking lot.

This Health and Safety lesson was written by Larry Caplan, it was taken from The Evansville Courier---Sunday, December 14,1997

Radon... The Silent Killer


by Katie Maurer, 4-H Club Safety Leader.


Radon is a naturally occuring, colorless, oderless, tasteless, radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in rocks and soil. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.

WHERE IS IT FOUND?

Radon comes from the soil surrounding and beneath the house. It typically moves up through the soil of your home through cracks in foundations and walls, opening around sump pumps and drains and construction joints. It may also be present in well water and can be released into your home when water is used. The risk of radon entering the home through water is small compared with that of radon entering through the soil. Nearly 1 in 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels.

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH EFFECTS?

Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breath. As the particles break down further, they release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of a persons lifetime. Radon is estimated to be second only to smoking as a cause of lung cancer in the United States. An estimated 14,000 deaths each year can be attributed to excessive radon exposure. Radon Does not cause and short-term health effects, such as shortness of breath, coughing, headaches or fever. A person's chance of getting lung cancer from radon depends mostly on the concentration of radon in his or her home, the amount of time spent in the home, and whether he/she is a smoker. Smokers have a higher risk of developing radon-induced lung cancer.

HOW DO I TEST FOR RADON?

Testing for radon is easy and inexpensive. Make sure that you purchase a test kit that has passed the Environmental Protection Agency's testing program or one that is state-certified.

The National Safety Council offers test kits that can be purchased by calling (800)SOS-RADON.

This Health and Safety Lesson came from PARENTS GUIDE 1997.

Created by John G. West mailto:mylines@evansville.net
Last Modified: Wednesday, October 21 1998