Once I got into euphorbia sap, before I say more, Euphorbia is similar to a cactus. Often confused as a cactus. There are many kinds, It has a milky white sap when injured or pruned. I think, milk, huh? Cactus can be healthy when you drink the water, there is a taco place that has an amazing prickly pear drink. Aloe Vera juice, coconut milk, water…
why wouldn’t euphorbia be the same?
So I tasted it. Not even In a large enough amount to benefit me in any way. Just enough to see if it tasted good, or interesting. Immediately my tongue is numb and my lip is swollen. I find out from a coworker it’s toxic. I think I actually knew this. I’m certain I knew this. Also, my airway is slightly swollen. I think. I could be imaging this. I can only imagine what is going on in my gut!
I could have just googled this. That’s why the webs are there to tangle you up in information and not let you use your own brain. Did I learn a lesson? Probably not a good one. Just not to get euphorbia sap on me. But I’m naturally curious. If I allow the web to do it for me what part of the brain is getting lazy and more afraid. I could read for hours about euphorbia sap and likely even get to a search engine that says it’s safe. But why not find out the “touch the hot stove”kind of way?
I’ve tasted dirt, fertilizer, some medicine I’ve chomped up out of fear of it lodging in my throat, tree branches that are riddled with squirrel marks wondering what’s so tasty, all baby foods, amoxiciian of my kids(bubble gum only available at the time) sucked on rocks, pennies, quarters to see if they tasted different than pennies, craved laundry soap when my iron was low…I’m sure I’m leaving some things out and I’m also lucky Im still alive.
The other day I pruned euphorbia. Remembering this scenario I was a little more careful. By careful I mean I didn’t intentionally taste it. But somehow I still got it on the tip of my tongue. It burns for a few days. And it is a little like the dentist numbing your tongue. It is odd it is numb but also burns? I couldn’t sleep because I kept biting the end. So I got up and put what I thought was oral gel on it. Thinking I would really numb it. I thought it tasted kind of strong. I added a dab more. This was not oral gel. I had put wart remover on the tip of my tongue. Something the label I’m sure mentions not to do. I couldn’t even figure out why I had wart remover.
There isn’t really a lesson to learn here other than to look at things before they go in your mouth. But I know I’m unlikely to follow this. I want to, in hindsight.
Oh, I remember I had 2 warts on the bottom of my foot after my backpack trip last summer. This product didn’t even work. It burned and ate away at every piece of skin around it except the warts. Why would I then keep this tube of super dangerous gel?? The warts removed themselves weeks later. Or maybe that was how the product works? Hopefully the tip of my tongue won’t fall off in a few weeks.
Aspenleaf 