CAMPUS AND AREA
University Daily Kansan, June 15, 1984
Page
Dieffenbachia
Philodendron
Some houseplants are toxic
By CINDY HOBSON
Staff Renorter
Before you think you've made your apartment or house a safe home for your children or pets, you should add houseplants to the list of substances that could endanger their health.
Susan Arnold, a registered nurse with the Mid-American Poison Center at the University of Kansas Medical Center, said that there were hundreds of poisonous plants that children between the ages of six months and three to four years old might try to eat.
BETWEEN 40 AND 50 percent of the poison center's calls have to do with houseplants, Arnold said.
There is no way to tell by looking at a plant if it is poisonous, she said. Diefenbacha and philodendrons are the most common of poisonous
houseplants that children and pets try to eat, Arnold said.
The leaf of a dieffenbachia, Arnold said, can cause such intense burning and swelling of the mouth that the child or pet will usually not swallow
Some flowers leave a toxic residue in the water that they are in, Arnold said, and that can cause a problem because, "when kids are thirsty, they don't care where the water came from."
the poison center received a call from one woman, Arnold said, who drank the water from narcissus flowers and became ill.
CINDY HEFFERN.a registered nurse at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, said that the emergency room averaged between 5 and 10 calls per month about houseplants, but she said that there had been no plant-related fatalities in Lawrence in the past year.
"It's a pretty minor problem," she said.
Hank North, who owns the Clinton Parkway Nursery and Garden Store with his wife Beverly, agreed.
"I think it's blown way out of proportion." he said.
Few plant buyers ask questions about poisonous plants, North said. "A lot of people don't think to ask," he said.
THE BEST WAY to prevent a child from being poisoned by a plant, North said, would be to keep a plant out of the way and keep plants out of his or her reach.
Jill Pearson, Boulder, Colo junior who "loves plants," said she knew about the dangers houseplants could pose to children and pets.
If she had children, she said, "I would watch where I put my plants."
The best solution, Pearson said, would be to "kid-proof your house."
Raymond Brecheisen/KANSAN
Lawn chemicals pose health risk
Even the herbicides and insecticides that are purchased by the average Lawrence lawn care consumer can pose serious health and environmental risks if they are not properly applied. A poison specialist said recently.
Staff Reporter
"There are 65 cases of pesticide poisoning per million people each year, according to the best available estimates," said Susan Arnold, a poison specialist at the University of Kansas Medical Center's Poison Center in Kansas City, Kan. "At least one of these cases is a fatality."
Having a beautiful lawn is almost impossible without chemical treatments, some lawn care experts say. But because herbicides and insecticides are dangerous when used improperly, people should be cautious when applying and storing them.
By JOHN SIMONSON Staff Renorter
Hank North, owner of Clinton Parkway Nursery & Garden Store, 4900 Clinton Parkway, said that his children, Layla and Imani, lawnies five times a season.
North said that one of his biggest concerns with the application of liquid chemicals was windy days. The same held for his firm, used dry chemicals.
"We use granule form," he said. "Other companies use liquid chemicals, but there's always the chance of wind drift."
Wind drift is also a concern of other Lawrence professionals.
"EXTREME CAUTION IS GIVEN to that, in all sincerity," said Jim Johnson general manager and Leph Brenner, who said "Our men are experienced enough
to know that if it's too windy, they pull off."
The possibility of an accident bothers some lawn care experts enough that they do not use chemicals.
"These chemicals can be absorbed through the skin." Arnold said. "Anyone using pesticides or other chemicals should not nonabsorb shoes, not sneakers."
Jim Mathes, KU facilities operations assistant and director of landscape maintenance, does not use herbicides and only uses insecticides if an insect problem develops. Mathes averts the use of chemicals because of his concern for the wildlife around campus.
STILL, BECAUSE NOT everyone shares Matshe's viewpoint, chemicals are used and the potential for injuries or fatalities remains.
Also, she said, printed directions should always be read and followed carefully, while mixing and storing liquids in a well-ventilated place in a well-ventilated area.
Reactions brewing to new beers
By LORI ELLIOTT
Staff Reporter
As people enter Lawrence's bars or go into their neighborhood liquor or grocery stores, they will have at least two more choices of beer brands.
STROH'S HAS launched a nationwide advertising campaign in the past few weeks. The beer until April 10, 2014, would be made in the eastern part of the country.
L. A., which stands for Low Alcohol and is brewed by Anheuser-Busch, has also entered the Lawrence area.
And like most new things, Stroh's and L.A. beers are eliciting mixed reactions
"L.A. is geared to the active generation — people who are concerned with drunk-driving laws," said Greg McDonald, sales manager for McDonald Beverage Inc. 801 Ninth St. "This beer is designed for a person who likes the taste of beer but doesn't want the effects," he said.
According to McDonald, L.A. has half the amount of alcohol of regular beer, and a third fewer calories.
"I don't think L.A. will take the market by storm, but the demand will be created slowly by responsible drinkers." he said.
Johnson said that L.A. was too new to make any judgments on the effect it would have on the beer market, but he said, "I expect it to sell well because it is an Anheuser-Busch product."
HOWARD KOERTH, owner of the Hawk's Crossing, 618 W.12th St., said he wouldn't sell a low-alcohol beer
"In a college town, I'd probably get hung — I wouldn't push anything lower than 3.2 beer on anyone," he said.
Rick Renflor, co-owner of Johnny's Tavern, 401 N. Second St., said he thought LA would go over well because of the success of his business in a college town.
"It will appeal to people who are concerned about alcohol consumption," he said, "and it doesn't tastes too bad."
Steve Stephenson, manager of Sgt. Preston's of the North, 815 Newampshire St., said that the people who had tried Stroh's had liked it.
"I'm from Chicago, and I grew up on Stroh's, so I decided to sell it here," he said.
But Ace Johnson, owner of the Sanctuary, 1401 W. Seventh St., said that Strobb's had only sold initially because it was a novelty.
"IT ISN'T selling now at all from our standpoint." he said.
Koerth called himself an amateur connoisseur of beer.
"Stroh's is good beer," he said, "but people don't know we have it yet, and we have some pretty loyal Busch drinkers here."
Koerth said he had tried Stroh's on tap for two weeks, but because of inconvenience with the type of keg used, he now sold it only in bottles.
John Webb, manager of Green's Fine Wines, 800 W. 23rd St., said, "Strobh's has not been a booming success, but it has not been a flop."
Webb said he had sold about 15 to 20 cases of Stroh's a week, which wasn't very much according to Webb.
"We break more bottles than that in a week," he said.
WEBB said that advertising was very important in selling a new product. He cited the advertising campaign for Stroh's had been successful so far. He said that most
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John Lawson, a distributor for Lapeke, Inc., 2711 Oregon St., said, "Beer products have to be on the market at least 90 days before we can come to any meaningful conclusions about their impact on the market.
Lapeka, Inc. is a distributor for Coors beer. Coors has experimented with low-alcohol beers, Lawson said.
In a college town,
I'd probably get
hung — I wouldn't
push anything
lower than 3.2 beer
on anyone.
- Howard Koerth,
Hawk's Crossing
owner
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