pyracantha thorns

[westphalian]

does any bright spark know how the said plant produces it's skin reaction? i'm not talking infection or thorn arthritis, but the fast acting swelling and pain when the thorn penetrates the skin. must be a toxin but Wikipedia doesn't mention it

[Stubby]

Nasty business ! 

[westphalian]

in danger of answering my own question here.

didn't get anywhere with google for "pyracantha thorns" but when I added "toxin" a result came up with some American farmer saying it causes a hyper allergy, especially severe in people with autoimmune arthritis.

feck, I have Palindromic Rheumatism in remission. let's see if it is just my finger that swells up 

[Coletti]

I dont know the answer you seek but I can say that on one job I had to chip 3t of the stuff and it was horrifically painful. Horrid stuff!!

[felixthelogchopper]

1 hour ago, Coletti said:

I dont know the answer you seek but I can say that on one job I had to chip 3t of the stuff and it was horrifically painful. Horrid stuff!!

Always worth using a hay fork on jobs like that.

[westphalian]

I've lopped them down and going to chip them when I get some decent gloves delivered. also, next time I will where a helmet and visor!

[Ian Leach]

I always thought firethorn had some sort of bacteria on the tip which caused the quick swelling and infection.

[westphalian]

Infection doesn’t act so quickly, could only be allergy or chemical ie irritant

 

[felixthelogchopper]

31 minutes ago, Ian Leach said:

I always thought firethorn had some sort of bacteria on the tip which caused the quick swelling and infection.

Is that not Blackthorn?

[westphalian]

I do not think the blackthorn carry bacteria, it is because they readily break off in the skin and so go septic