[LINK] OT - delicate question

[David Lochrin]

On Friday 8 April 2011 11:04, Karl Auer wrote:
> Aside from that, it appears that the material used was geographically
> determined - in some areas with broad soft leaved plants available,
> these were used ("tobacco plant", "elephant ears", "lamb's ears"), also
> some soft barks (birch) and sometimes dry leaf litter, sawdust, even
> fine sand - rub it on, dust it off.

A cousin of mine was a Surveyor before he retired.  I remember his recounting that he went on a job somewhere with a recently arrived Engish "chainman" (?) who wasn't familiar with the local flora.  The chainman disappeared into the bushes when nature called, and a little while later came out rather quickly in some distress; the "broad soft leaved plant" he'd used was stinging nettle!

Cheers!
David