This plant can be found in many households all around the world. However, most people are unaware of how dangerous it can be. There was a case when a young boy swallowed one piece of the plant which caused his tongue to swell and then he suffocated.
If you have it in your home it is very important for you to know that the poison of this plant is powerful enough to kill an adult in just 15 minutes and a child in 1 minute. Also, touching it and then bringing your fingers to your eyes can cause permanent blindness. The name of this toxic plant is Amoena which is also known as Diefenbaker.
The case of the boy
Esteban was a 5 year old boy who was playing with the plant and then ingested one leaf of it. Then, he started having difficulty breathing and also noticed a strange color on his skin. Even though he was taken to a hospital, after 2 hours the boy passed away from poisoning. Later, the blood test showed a large dose of calcium oxalate in his blood which is a strong chemical.
This chemical is found in the plant and is lethal if consumed. In the US only there are about 64,250 case of poisoning with plants every year. If you or someone around you gets poisoned by this plant should immediately rinse the mouth with cold, wet cloth and rinse any area of the body that was in contact with the plant. Seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
Side effects of Amoena
This plant causes the following symptoms:
If it gets in contact with the skin it causes dermatitis, itchiness, redness or burning pain. If the eyes get in contact the plant causes transitory vision loss. When ingested it causes salivation, loss of sensibility, tingling sensation in the tongue, itchiness, ulcerations on the lips, vomiting and diarrhea.
Consequences of Amoena poisoning
Even though these consequences are rare, ingesting Amoena could cause great salivation, irritation and inflammation of mucous membranes and difficulty breathing. The most severe cases have also shown circulatory system or respiratory tract issues.