Editing Poinsettia (section)

==Toxicity==
[[File:Poinsettia deadly newspaper.png|thumb|alt=A newspaper clipping; the headline says "Poinsettia Deadly Says Scientist", while the subtitle says "Carl H. Willing", Horticulturalist and Forester, Brings Grave Charge Against one of Hawaii's Most Beautiful Flowers"|Newspaper headline from the ''[[Honolulu Star-Bulletin]]'' (1913) wrongly alleging that poinsettia is deadly]]
Poinsettias are popularly, though incorrectly, said to be toxic to humans and other animals.<ref name="Krenzelok" /> This misconception was spread by a 1919 [[urban legend]] of a two-year-old child dying after consuming a poinsettia leaf.<ref name="snopes">{{cite web|url= http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/poinsettia.asp|title=Poisonous Poinsettias|website=[[Snopes.com]]|access-date=December 16, 2008|date=2007-12-06}}</ref> In 1944, the plant was included in H. R. Arnold's book ''Poisonous Plants of Hawaii'' on this premise. Though Arnold later admitted that the story was hearsay and that poinsettias were not proven to be poisonous, the plant was thus thought deadly. In 1970 the US [[Food and Drug Administration]] published a newsletter stating erroneously that "one poinsettia leaf can kill a child", and in 1980 they were prohibited from nursing homes in a county in North Carolina due to this supposed toxicity.<ref name="Krenzelok">{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/S0735-6757(96)90086-8|pmid=8906768|title=Poinsettia exposures have good outcomes … just as we thought|journal=The American Journal of Emergency Medicine|volume=14|issue=7|pages=671–674|year=1996|last1=Krenzelok|first1=Edward P.|last2=Jacobsen|first2=T.D|last3=Aronis|first3=John M.}}</ref>

An attempt to determine a poisonous dose of poinsettia to rats failed, even after reaching experimental doses equivalent to consuming 500 leaves, or nearly {{cvt|1|kg|lb}} of sap.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1136/bmj.a2769|pmid=19091758|title=Festive medical myths|journal=BMJ|volume=337|pages=a2769|year=2008|last1=Vreeman|first1=R. C.|last2=Carroll|first2=A. E.|s2cid=29006871}}</ref> Contact with any part of the plant by children or pets often has no effect, though it may cause nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting if swallowed. External exposure to the plant may result in a skin rash for some.<ref name="poison">{{cite web|url=https://www.poison.org/articles/2014-dec/poinsettias| title=Poinsettias| website=Poison Control|publisher=National Capital Poison Center| access-date=26 November 2019}}</ref> A survey of more than 20,000 calls to the [[American Association of Poison Control Centers]] from 1985&ndash;1992 related to poinsettia exposure showed no fatalities. In 92.4% of calls, there was no effect from exposure, and in 3.4% of calls there were minor effects, defined as "minimally bothersome".<ref name="Krenzelok" /> Similarly, a cat's or dog's exposure to poinsettias rarely necessitates medical treatment. If ingested, mild drooling or vomiting can occur, or rarely, diarrhea. In rare cases, exposure to the eye may result in eye irritation. Skin exposure to the sap may cause itchiness, redness, or swelling.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/poinsettia/| title=Poinsettia| website=Pet Poison Helpline|access-date=31 December 2019}}</ref> It can induce [[asthma]] and [[allergic rhinitis]] in certain groups of people.<ref name="pmid15355476">{{cite journal |vauthors=Ibáñez MD, Fernández-Nieto M, Martínez J, Cardona GA, Guisantes J, Quirce S, Sastre J |title=Asthma induced by latex from 'Christmas flower' (Euphorbia pulcherrima) |journal=[[Allergy]] |volume=59 |issue=10 |pages=1127–8 |date=October 2004 |pmid=15355476 |doi=10.1111/j.1398-9995.2004.00404.x |s2cid=33808029 |url= |issn=}}</ref><ref name="pmid24717779">{{cite journal |vauthors=Aydin Ö, Erkekol FÖ, Misirloigil Z, Demirel YS, Mungan D |title=Allergic sensitization to ornamental plants in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma |journal=[[Allergy and Asthma Proceedings]] |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=e9–14 |date=2014 |pmid=24717779 |doi=10.2500/aap.2014.35.3733 |url= |issn=}}</ref>