External Causes of Dermatitis

Occupational dermatoses in farmers growing okra (Hibiscus esculentus L.)

“…Its pods are used chiefly as boiled or steamed fresh vegetables and also as dried pods and dried powdered seeds. There are few reports that this plant affects the exposed skin (4)(5)(6)(7). Recently, the present authors reported skin lesions from okra in workers engaged in okra cultivation both outdoors and under glass (8,9).…”

Allergic contact dermatitis from fepradinol: report of 4 cases and review of the literature

“…Of 19,000 cosmetic formulations on file at the Food and Drug Administration in 1978, 147 products contained witch hazel as extract, distillate or as such (1). Contact dermatitis caused by witch hazel (hamamelis) is reported in the older literature (3)(4)(5). Though recommendations for patch testing have been given (6,7), no allergic reactions to witch hazel have to my knowledge been reported until recently (2).…”

“…The 'witch' in witch hazel is an old English word (also spelt 'wych') for a tree with pliant branches, rather than the word for a woman practising witchcraft. The type of contact reactions to witch hazel reported in the older literature is not clear, as patch tests were not performed or not reported (3)(4)(5). However, in a recent study by Bruynzeel eta!.…”

Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-94-0104-2458, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.

“…6 In May 1993, the University of Iowa sampled the surfaces of four Indian books and the vacuumed material was identified as jute, other fibers, and various particles. Jute has been identified as a skin irritant 7,8 and a nose, throat, and eye irritant. Some individuals described a moldy smell when working with the books.…”