Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants [Paperback]

Lewis S. Nelson (Author), Richard D. Shih (Author), Michael Balick (Author), Andrew Weil (Introduction), L.R. Goldfrank (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 27, 2006

In the 20 years that have passed since the publication of the first edition, both Poison Control Centers and Emergency Departments have witnessed an expansion in the number and variety of poisonings caused by toxic plants. At the same time, there is a proliferation in the diversity of plants in our gardens and homes, continually expanding the range of possible consequences from exposure to toxic plants. This second edition of the Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants is created to assist the clinician in the initial response to the needs of a child or adult exposed to a poisonous or injurious plant. It lists common plants that might lead to the development of the symptom complex and describes the mechanisms of action of the implicated toxin, additional clinical manifestations, and specific therapeutics for each presentation. It has methodically enhanced the previous edition’s botanical rigor with insights from both pharmacognosy and clinical medicine to make it a truly comprehensive source. With its thorough references and full-color photos of hundreds of potentially toxic and injurious plants inside the home, anyone who has an interest in plants will find this book useful outside in the garden or out in the wild. This book will fascinate botanists, horticulturists, and naturalists as well as hikers, gardeners, and all those who simply enjoy the wonders of nature and the great outdoors! With Foreword by Lewis R. Goldfrank, MD and Introduction by Andrew Weil, MD

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews of the second edition: "This second edition of the Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants is a clear, concise, non-alarmist guide to the plants that we all live with, inside and out. Initially it will seem to you that every plant you’ve ever grown is injurious in some way, but the authors’ methodical writing and discussion of each plant makes things clear." - Sara Berg, Horticulture Magazine April 2007 "The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants, rich in visual images, emergency medical information, botanical descriptions, and scientific references, is the easiest to use and most comprehensive handbook of its kind available today. It will be of great value to physicians, naturalists, horticulturists, parents of small children, pet owners, and all those who interact with plants and the landscapes -- both indoors and outdoors -- in temperate, desert, tropical, and subtropical habitats throughout the year. This book is designed to become a well-thumbed addition to libraries, classrooms, and personal bookshelves. The authors are to be congratulated for producing such a useful, portable, and elegant guidebook to the plant toxins that are all around us." - Peter H. Raven, President, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO, USA "The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants by Balick, Nelson and Shih is a thoroughly revised and updated ... The new Handbook authors include a botanist and 2 physicians in the active practice of medical toxicology and emergency medicine. The resulting collaboration has resulted in a remarkable reference work – a slim, but lavishly illustrated handbook of only 300-plus pages that provides a detailed, medically oriented approach to plant poisonings and their management. The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants is an indispensable resource for every poison center and emergency department book shelf. Many pediatricians and emergency physicians will find it an invaluable addition to their personal libraries as well. " - Fred M. Henretig, MD, Director, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia' s Poison Control Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA "This second edition of the Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants is a remarkable improvement to a great book. It is much more logical and clinically relevant use of botany and medicine. Its new graphics and formal structure increases its value for the lay person and clinician." - Lewis R. Goldfrank, Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY, USA "Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants provides portable, comprehensive information to the toxic plants encountered everywhere … . This clearly structured and colorfully illustrated guidebook … is an indispensable resource for hikers, gardeners, parents of small children, pet owners, physicians, nurses and veterinarians. … presents clear information on hundreds of plants. It is lavishly illustrated, elegantly highlighting each plant’s distinguishing characteristics. The images include 398 full-color photographs … . An easy-to-use glossary of botanical terms helps guide the non-specialist through this fascinating and multidisciplinary field." (EurekAlert, February, 2007) "I’m happy ... to tell you about a useful and beautifully illustrated new book on the subject of poisonous plants that is an indispensable resource for hikers, gardeners, parents of small children, pet owners, veterinarians, and health care practitioners. The book, the second edition of the Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants, is by … physicians who specialize in emergency medicine and medical toxicology and by … noted ethnobotanist and tropical plant explorer." (Andrew Weil, www.drweil.com, May, 2007) "The book provides a wealth of information on hundreds of plants as well as descriptions of the symptoms often experienced by those who have been exposed to phytotoxins. … a valuable and indispensable book that should be readily be available and accessible to all physicians, clinicians, and emergence and poison centres. … will also appeal to a broad spectrum of other interested groups, including naturalists, hikers, botanists, horticulturists, and gardeners. Furthermore, it should make a valuable addition to the libraries of parents … ." (Dr. Marcello Pennacchio, Public Garden, Issue 1, 2007) "The second edition of this text comes some 20 years after the publication of its precursor, The AMA Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants. The new edition is considerably updated, and for a comparatively small volume is magnificently illustrated, with glossy colour plates throughout. … The compact and concise nature of the volume makes it a useful reference guide to both medical professionals and those generally interested in this fascinating topic." (J. Barlow, Irish Pharmacy Journal, May, 2007) "The book … was produced under the auspices of the New York Botanical Garden, where Dr. Balick is director of the Institute of Economic Botany. While its primary mission is to help health care professionals identify and treat plant-caused injuries, this lavishly illustrated book can be a helpful guide to ordinary people. It highlights hundreds of troublesome plants, providing photographs and written descriptions, common names, geographic distributions, toxic parts and toxins, effects on the body and information on medical management." (Jane E. Brody, The New York Times, July, 2007) "A very useful guide to the harmful potential of plants … . The book provides comprehensive information to toxic plants encountered everywhere, both inside and outside the home and provides an excellent clear and illustrated resource not only for staff of emergency departments and Poison Control Centres, but also for many generalists, parents of small children, pet owners and in particular those who enjoy investigating the beauty and unknown characteristics of our natural environment." (Amritpal S. Chohan, BTS Newsletter, Winter 2007) "With 434 four-color photos and illustrations throughout, it is almost a field guide to poisonous plants. … The combination of experienced medical practice and 3 decades of ethnobotany have produced a book that is highly authoritative in scope and depth. … Physicians and other healthcare professionals (including veterinarians), herbalists, hikers, naturalists, gardeners, horticulturists … and all those who interact with plants and the landscapes (both indoors and outdoors), would find this book of great value. It is well worth the investment." (Mark Blumenthal, HerbalGram, Vol. 83, 2009)

From the Back Cover

In the 20 years that have passed since the publication of the first edition, both Poison Control Centers and Emergency Departments have witnessed an expansion in the number and variety of poisonings caused by toxic plants. At the same time, there is a proliferation in the diversity of plants in our gardens and homes, continually expanding the range of possible consequences from exposure to toxic plants. This second edition of the Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants is created to assist the clinician in the initial response to the needs of a child or adult exposed to a poisonous or injurious plant. It lists common plants that might lead to the development of the symptom complex and describes the mechanisms of action of the implicated toxin, additional clinical manifestations, and specific therapeutics for each presentation. It has methodically enhanced the previous edition's botanical rigor with insights from both pharmacognosy and clinical medicine to make it a truly comprehensive source. With its thorough references and full-color photos of hundreds of potentially toxic and injurious plants inside and outside the home, anyone who has an interest in plants will find this book useful outside in the garden or out in the wild. This book will fascinate botanists, horticulturists, and naturalists as well as hikers, gardeners, and all those who simply enjoy the wonders of nature and the great outdoors! With Foreword by Lewis R. Goldfrank, MD and Introduction by Andrew Weil, MD Advance reviews: "The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants, rich in visual images, emergency medical information, botanical descriptions, and scientific references, is the easiest to use and most comprehensive handbook of its kind available today. It will be of great value to physicians, naturalists, horticulturists, parents of small children, pet owners, and all those who interact with plants and the landscapes -- both indoors and outdoors -- in temperate, desert, tropical, and subtropical habitats throughout the year. This book is designed to become a well-thumbed addition to libraries, classrooms, and personal bookshelves. The authors are to be congratulated for producing such a useful, portable, and elegant guidebook to the plant toxins that are all around us." - Peter H. Raven, President, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO, USA "The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants by Nelson, Shih, and Balick is a thoroughly revised and updated. The new Handbook authors include a botanist and two physicians in the active practice of medical toxicology and emergency medicine. The resulting collaboration has resulted in a remarkable reference work â a slim, but lavishly illustrated handbook of only 300-plus pages that provides a detailed, medically oriented approach to plant poisonings and their management. The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants is an indispensable resource for every poison center and emergency department book shelf. Many pediatricians and emergency physicians will find it an invaluable addition to their personal libraries as well. " - Fred M. Henretig, MD, Director, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia' s Poison Control Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA "This second edition of the Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants is a remarkable improvement to a great book. It is much more logical and clinically relevant use of botany and medicine. Its new graphics and formal structure increases its value for the lay person and clinician." - Lewis R. Goldfrank, Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY, USA

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 340 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 2nd edition (December 27, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387312684
• ISBN-13: 978-0387312682
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #755,625 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best handbook on poisonous plants in 20 years! Replaces the AMA Handbook, January 24, 2007

By 

Richard Hamilton "Richard J Hamilton MD" (Philadelphia PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants (Paperback)

The rigorous organization and approach to this topic results in a tremendous practical contribution to the clinicians who care for the poisoned patient.
Thre first four sections provide detailed management guidlines and general principles for dealing with the poisoned patient. The 5th section is a beautifuly detailed description of the poisonous plants complete with sharp crisp color photographs, pertinent clinical information, and references.
This book should be in every Emergency Department, Poison Center, and Office that gives advice to children and adults who have come in contact or ingested plants that are potentially toxic.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource, June 15, 2007

By 

Mary Ann Howland (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants (Paperback)

This book fills a real void, since the publication of the first edition (in 1985 by Lampe and McCann) has long been out of print. There are over 150 species of plants discussed, detailing the description, location, toxin, toxic parts, clinical findings and management, each with a few key references. The photographs are of very high quality. Often there is more than one photograph of a particular species depicting the plant with and without flowers or perhaps a view from a distance and then a close up. This handbook is essential for all poison centers and toxicologists and would be extremely useful for any healthcare provider, botanist, or gardener who wanted to learn more about poisonous plants!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What I have been waiting for, April 21, 2007

By 

Mary E. Palmer - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants (Paperback)

This is the book that I have been waiting to own. As a mother of young children, an avid gardener, an ethnobotanical researcher, a naturalist, and a practicing physician, I think this handbook should be on the bookshelf of every member of these professions. The information provided is practical, insightful, and accurate, and the plant photos add life to a very abstract subject. It is also a beautiful book--in handy field guide proportions with vivid photographs-- this book can go out into the field with you or grace your coffee table. I only wish that it had been published 10 years ago, because it fills a niche left empty when the AMA stopped publishing their book on poisonous plants. Worth the wait--this book is better.