1910 



PAPER 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



19 



MILK -BOTTLES FOR EXTRACTED 

 HONEY. 



Since Mr. J. E. Crane introduced the pa- 

 per milk-bottle for extracted honey I have 

 telt much interest in the affair; and a manu- 

 facturer of this ware has supplied me with a 

 liberal lot of samples which I have been test- 

 ing. In my opinion this bottle will fill a 

 long-felt want where honey is offered at re- 

 tail, and at such places as market-stands, for 

 a great many people would like to lake home 

 with them a pound or so of honey if a neat 

 container could be furnished without cost. 

 I have used paper oyster-pails for this same 

 purpose; but removing the honey from an 

 oyster-pail is always untidy at the best, 

 while the waxed bottle is very neat and at- 

 tractive, and easily drained into a dish. 



I believe there are several patterns of 

 these bottles now being offered, of different 

 sizes and shapes. The ones that I have 

 been using have a neat paper stopper. Fig. 

 ;•(, which could be sealed with hot paraffine 

 if so desired. I also find the package very 

 desirable for granulated honey in a damp 

 climate such as we have here, and jars could 

 be filled while honey is semi-granulated, and 

 then allowed to granulate completely; and 

 in preparing for the table the waxed paper 

 could be easily removed. If made in quan- 

 tities, suitable reading-matter could be ar- 

 ranged, leaving a blank space in which the 

 producer could stamp his name. 



While I have not tested these jars as to 

 shipping qualities, I feel .sure ^ that they 

 would stand all requirements. I will '.ex- 

 plain that I have none of these jars for sale, 

 but I believe they should be classed along 

 with our honey-packages; and when under- 

 stood they will be in demand, and they will 

 fill a long-felt want. 



Indianapolis, Oct. 14. 



ARTICULAR RHEUMATISM 

 BY BEE-STINGS. 



RELIEVED 



BY W. A. PRYAL. 



To have rheumatism and suffer its slings 

 and pains, or take up a few live honey-bees 

 and banish the tormentor with some well- 

 directed stings, is a question that even the 

 learned men of the medical profession can 

 not agree upon. So when doctors disagree, 

 we are sure to be badly at sea, to put an old 

 saw in a slightly changed form. 



The efficacy of bees' stings as a cure for 

 rheumatism is again being discussed in this 

 country and in Europe, in the September 

 number of the American Bee Journal Dr. A. 

 F. Bonney gives a lengthy argument on the 

 negative side of the question. Dr. C. C. 

 Miller, the noted apiarist and writer, takes 

 up the same question in the October issue of 

 the magazine named. The latter does not 

 entirely agree with the first writer. He re- 

 fers to the favorable position of the Europe- 

 an medical fraternity in regard to the bene- 

 fit of bee-stings in the cure of rheumatism; 

 also to the fact that the preponderance of 



evidence in this country is on the affirmative 

 side. Thus the doctors stand. Who is to 

 decide? 



We of the laity bee-keepers have general- 

 ly believed that the bee would drive rheu- 

 matism from our afflicted bodies; and still 

 some apiarists have been as full of "old 

 rheumatiz " as those who were never prick- 

 ed by a bee. However, I am able to report 

 the case of one who has shown bravery, in- 

 asmuch as the patient suffered the stings of 

 thousands of bees in order to regain her 

 usual health. This case has come under my 

 observation during the past summer. 



Mrs. Mary Kuttenbeck, something less 

 than a year ago, became a sufferer from a 

 very severe attack of articular rheumatism, 

 the main point of attack being in her knees. 

 The malady became so violent that she was 

 not able to walk. The pain at times was ex- 

 cruciating. Her brother, Mr. Piercey, is 

 employed at the Mare Island Navy Yard, 

 this State, and is an ardent tender of a small 

 apiary which he keeps on the island. Hav- 

 ing read that bee-stings are a cure for the 

 disease in question he sent for his sister and 

 had her submit to the "honey-bee-sting" 

 cure. The invalid was tenderly brought out 

 to the apiary one fine spring day and seated 

 in front of a bee-hive. A bee was deftly 

 caught and made to jab its sting into the 

 lady's knee. The insect performed its part 

 of the operation in good style. Mrs R. pro- 

 tested at being made a target for further 

 stings. She thought the pain from one sting 

 was sufficient for her for a lifetime — that it 

 was enough to drive the disease from her. 



MRS. MARY RUTTENBECK, 

 who endured the pain of a large number of bee-sting§ 

 to get relief from articular rheumatism. 



