The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Collembola Infestations
Posted by Robert (Buford, Ga) on 07/24/2009
Joyce, Will poke greens kill collembola, and how to?
Scabies
Posted by Sarah (Monrovia, Ca) on 10/20/2008
★★★★☆
This is a wonderful site, I got scabies from a patient who were treated twice with Elemite, I began to have scabies break out after 3 weeks. The whole family memebers applied Elemite all over from head to toe, but the scabies were not killed. I have more break out. I tried neem oil, tea tree oil,oregano oil, nothing worked. Then I tried Poke root, only adult used this potent herbs, I let my children use turmeric and neem powder paste which is safer for children. It seem that I got a very resistant type, I splashed the decoction all over and instantly, dead bodies of scabies popped out all over me. It was itchy badly, but I wanted to kill the mite so bad and left it on my body for a couple of hours. I thought I will be free from scabies after this treatment, but I still itch the next day. a few days later I have break out again. Then I tried poke root for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th time. I began to have many bruises on my legs. Now I only itch on my ear lobe. So I decided to stop use poke and see what will happen to me. I also desperately wash all clothes and linens with hot water. Many many loads a day. I'm praying for a cure from this! If anyone have a better solution, please post on this site!
Scabies
Posted by Patty (Houston, TX) on 10/07/2008
I think I have scabies...after having what i thought was a rash for a couple of weeks, my son came over and laid across my bed for a while and he called the next day saying he was itching too...well, i had thought I had it because it felt like bites of different intensity, etc..i had gone to my doctor and she said I didn't have scabies because I didn't have the rash...well I have them..and I've tried permethrin (got her to give me a prescription anyway), no help (my son used it and his are gone),(he's grown and gone) have tried tea tree oil, it soothes but doesn't eradicate them, have done the washes, and daily changes of sheets, towels, all other clothing..washes, etc..and last night tried the peroxide and borax soak..I am still itching today..will try the above again (peroxide, etc) but have ordered some enzymes and meat tenderizer and will try that...also will try the poke remedy..but does anyone know if the boiled concoction can be boiled and refrigerated for use later...i don't have a continuous supply..is there any danger with poke and should it be rinsed off and can it be used daily? also, does anyone know if they can "live" in the mattress? Also I have lots of carpet..I think I have infested my surroundings...Help someone ! ! How does this happen to someone who bathes daily and sometimes twice...???
Scabies
Posted by Renate (Jacksonville, Florida) on 02/12/2009
Scabies can live off of the body for 48 to 72 hours. A big reason reason why people get re-infestations is failure to properly clean the mattress (wish someone would have said that a year ago...) You spend a significant part of you day in bed so that is where they thrive outside of the body. The best thing to do, in my opinion, is get a steam cleaner and steam that puppy everyday before putting on new sheets. Make sure you give it time to dry because you don't want to grow mold in your mattress. If you have to take your clothes to the laundry mat like I do (sadly that makes everything that much harder) make sure you keep a "quarantine" bag for dirty laundry and never,never wear anything twice without washing it. Another good tip is if you have a job where you have to wear a uniform like me (go Kmart yay) and you don't have a uniform for everyday of the week, iron the clothes before you put them back on again. High heat kills them instantly. And another thing that I never once thought of to clean everyday is shoes. Especially if you wear them everyday. And lastly, never think that one treatment will cure them if you haven't already noticed. Scabies lay eggs!!! 1-3 eggs per day!!!
Never let anyone tell you that you are dirty because you have scabies. They don't come from dirty people or go to only dirty people. Anyone can get them. Think of it this way... Head lice, for instance, goes to the person with the cleanest hair. Same with scabies... those damn creatures...
How to Make Pokeberry Extract
Posted by Tea Toy (Murfreesboro, TN) on 02/12/2022
Joyce, you live close to me. Joelton, TN to Murfreesboro, TN. Do you know anyone in this area who makes herbal extracts?
EC: Sorry, Joyce was in her late 70s when she posted on Earth Clinic in 2008. She hasn't posted now for years.
How to Make Pokeberry Extract
Posted by Vera (Colorado) on 02/29/2024
Red Moon Herbs in Asheville makes a good poke extract.
How to Make Pokeberry Extract
Posted by Tiffany (Waco Ga) on 08/03/2024
How can you harvest them? Can you freeze them?
How to Make Pokeberry Extract
Posted by Imani (Md) on 09/03/2024
Lol. Blessings. I love you. Perfect post is perfect!
Scabies
Posted by Susan (Charleston, WV) on 02/18/2009
Remember to wash all your bed linens after your Poke Green Roots treatment, because once you get back in the same bed you will get them again. Wash anything, clothes you came in contact with before you do the treatment. I got them from someone who laid a coat on my bed. Also spray your doorknobs and spigots, whatever you touch, with some kind of disinfect, even wipe over your telephone, glasses, keyboard and mouse, because they're there and you'll get them again. Wear plastic gloves while you're cleaning areas and picking up clothing you've worn. I only had to do it once. Susan
Scabies
Posted by Susan (Charleston, WV ) on 02/26/2009
I would never use the poke green treatment on a child or a pet. It worked for me, an adult. Susan
Scabies
Posted by Vera (New York, New York) on 03/19/2009
What exactly is the Poke Green Treatment, and how do I go about treating myself with it for scabies? This website is awesome!
Scabies
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 03/20/2009 490 posts
★★★★★
Hello Vera from NY, Poke greens have always been called poke sallet around here in the south. At the time we were catching scabies in my youth we didn't know about boiling poke root in water and then bathing with the water would kill them, so I have no personal knowledge of this. However, when a niece got the problem a couple of years ago and asked her father what to do to get rid of them, he asked me what to do because they had no money to go to the doctor. When I informed him that pokeweed root boiled in water, and then bathing in the water was said to kill them, he proceeded to dig one up and present it to her to boil in water to bathe in. I don't know how much they put in the water but knowing my brother, I am sure that he got a big old pokeweed root to give her to boil. He laughed as he told me about the results later. She said she felt like she was on fire when she put it on but it sure did work to kill the scabies. If you want to research on this plant, put in pokeweed for the common name, or you'll have trouble finding it. Pokeweed grows back from the same roots in the spring and some of those roots get pretty darned big and difficult to dig out, so my advice is to look for one that looks like it just came up from seeds this year, which it will soon be poking up from the earth. If you get a big root I would hesitate to boil the whole thing to bathe in since it would be very strong.
The letter from Susan from Charleston telling how she used it sounds logical, but I think I would prefer to use something besides Crisco for soothing after the bathing, maybe olive or coconut oil instead. Lots of luck. We have been having a lot of head lice going around down here the last few years and if they make an appearance in this family again, we are likely to boil some poke root and mix in some borax for shampoo to see if they don't succumb quickly as the scabies did. Lots of luck and be sure to cool that water down before bathing with it.
Scabies
Posted by Shan (Reno, Nv, Usa) on 05/21/2010
Hi Joyce,
I have just in the past day relized I have scabies. I'm interested in your polk soak recipe to use. Sad thing is, I'm in Nevada...no polk out here. Is there someplace I can buy the root? Please reply, I'm desperate.
