What does poison ivy mean?
The name ‘poison ivy’ is applied to a weed that isn’t poisonous to wildlife, but is to humans. For it contains urushiol oil, which is a skin irritant to humans. The oil may be inhaled when poison ivy is burned. Or it may be absorbed when an individual touches poison ivy, or something that has touched the plant. In the case of inhalation, or of an outbreak on the face, poison ivy contact is considered a medical emergency.
