220 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Mar. 



ly responded '' Yes. ■" Nobody disagreed. 

 "Wliich are better — Italians or hybridsV" 

 Frank A. Eaton thonglit that hybrids are 

 better than Italians, because they are easier 

 to keep pure. 



After a little unfinished business the con- 

 vention adjourned to meet at Toledo, Dr. 

 Mason being chosen president, and Miss 

 Bennett being reelected secretary and 

 treasurer. 



USING INTOXICATING LIQUOHS FOK 

 RELIEF 



When Severely Stung by Bees or Bitten by 

 Serpents. 



18 THERE A POSSIBILITY OF A MISTAKE IN THE 



MATTER ? 



I SUPPOSE that most of you have heard 

 the statement that has been handed down 

 from generation to generation in regard to 

 the use of whisky and other intoxicants in 

 case of snake-bites, and also as a means of 

 saving life when the sting of a bee or many 

 bees produces dangerous symptoms. You 

 are aware that I have many times express- 

 ed a doubt in regard to the matter. In the 

 Century for August, 1889, is an article from 

 Mr. S. Weir Mitchell, a man who has de- 

 voted a large part of his life to the investi- 

 gation and study of poisonous serpents. 

 One can hardly help deciding, after careful- 

 ly reading the article, that the writer is as 

 well prepared, or perhaps better, to give us 

 the truth, than any other man living. I will 

 make one or two extracts. Here is the first : 



The first effect of venom is to lessen suddenly the 

 pressure under which the blood is kept while in the 

 vessels. Death from this cause must be rare, as it 

 is active for so short a time. Any alcoholic stimu- 

 lus would at this period be useful; but, despite the 

 popular creed, it is now pretty sure that many men 

 have been killed by the alcohol given lo relieve 

 them from the effects of snake-bite; and it is a mat- 

 ter of record, that men dead drunk with whisky, 

 and then bitten, have died of the bite. For the con- 

 sequences to the blood and to the nerve-centers 

 which follow an injection of venom, there is, so far 

 as I am aware, no antidote; but as to this I do not 

 at all despair, and see clearly that our way to find 

 relief is not by stupid trials of this sort and that, 

 but by competently learning- what we have to do. 

 Moreover, we are in a position at present to say 

 what not to do, and there is a large measure of 

 gain in being able to dismiss to the limbo of the use- 

 less a host of so-called antidotes. 



From the above we gather that people 

 have been killed by mistaken kindness; 

 that is, a tremendous dose of whisky killed 

 the patient where the snake - bite alone 

 would probably have done no serious harm. 

 This very thing has occurred to me before. 

 Please remember, dear friends, how many 

 years it was the accepted custom to bleed a 

 man for every ill that flesh is heir to. If he 

 was suffering from lack of blood, they con- 

 tinued to bleed him all the same ; and when 

 the poor fellow died, the decision was, that 

 even bleeding did not save him. The second 

 extract is as follows : 



If the dose of venom be large, and the distance 

 from help great, except the knife or cautery little 

 is to be done that i^ of value. But it is well to bear 

 in mind, that in this country a bite in the extremi- 

 ties rarely causes death. 



Please notice from the above, that the 

 serpent-bites in this country rarely produce 



death. Heavy doses of whisky do, however, 

 often produce death. I myself witnessed 

 the death of a little child who reached and 

 took a teacup partly filled with common 

 whisky, where it was carelessly left on a 

 stand or table. Now, then, suppose a child 

 has been stung so severely that there is ap- 

 prehension that death may ensue : shall we 

 give whisky enough to kill a well child, in 

 our attempts to afford relief? You know it 

 is popularly claimed, that, when one is bit- 

 ten by a serpent, or stung severely by bees, 

 he will bear enormous doses of whisky 

 without even producing intoxication. Now, 

 this may be true— at least, a good many 

 physicians believe it to be true. But, dear 

 friends, is it not possible that it is just as 

 true, and no more so, than was the old doc- 

 trine of blood-letting, when any thing ailed 

 the patient? 



On our way to Mammoth Cave, the smallest 

 and weakest horse in tL ot began to play 

 out, I decided, from exhaustion, and nothing 

 else. The colored stage-driver borrowed a 

 knife from Ernest , and cut and lacerated 

 the poor animal's mouth, till its blood be- 

 spattered the muddy road ; then he pronounc- 

 ed the cure complete, and drove on. During 

 the operation the horse had rested enough so 

 as to get breath , and th eref ore started u p with 

 temporary improvement. The darkey de- 

 clared that the blood-letting gave the horse 

 new strength. Now, I do not mean to be 

 stubborn or contrary; but, dear friends, 

 please let us be sure we are not following in 

 the footsteps of the darkey ; and, above all, 

 let us remember that a single dose of whisky 

 may consign almost any human being to a 

 drunkard's grave, in spite of all that temper- 

 ance workers and Christian exhorters can 

 do to save him. 



The fact that the Youth's Companion has, 

 in a recent number, strongly advocated the 

 use of whisky in tremendous doses, in case 

 of snake-bites, does not change my opinion 

 in regard to the matter in the least. I think 

 the writer has simply followed the popular 

 opinion. Although he tells us considerable 

 in regard to snake-bites, he has not given 

 the subject such thorough and complete in- 

 vestiaralion, by any manner of means, as has 

 Mr. Mitchell in the Century. 



PHICE LISTS RECEIVED. 



We have just printed circulars for the following: parties: 



Levei-ing Brothers, Wiota, Cass Co., la. 



W. S. Ponder, Indianapolis, Ind. 



J. B. Kline, Topeka. Kan. 



S. W. Pilie, St. Charles, 111. Seeds, vegetables, and plants. 



J. P. Connell, Hillsboro, Texas. 



F. T. Hall, Lochiel, Wis. 



I. C. Horton & Bro., Muskegon, Mich. 



J. A. Thornton. Lima, 111. 



Otlier parties have sent us their circulars as follows; 



J. B. McCorniick, Fredericksburg, O. 



J. T. Wilson, Little Hickman, Ky. 



F. A. Snell, MillcilgevUI... HI. 



B. Davidson, U.xbridire, Out. 



J. W. K. Shaw & Co.. Loreauville, La. 

 J. W. Buchanan & Bro., Eldora, la. 



C. M. Dixon, Parrish, 111. 



CONVENTION NOTICES. 



The spring meeting of the Missouri State Bee-keepers' Asso- 

 ciation will be held at Marshall, Saline Co., Mo., on Wednesda.y 

 and Thursday, April 16 and 17. 1890. in the county court-room. 

 Reduced rates at hotel, for bee-keepers, have been secured. A 

 cordial invitation is extended to bee-keepers everywhere to 

 attend, and especially those of Missouri. Essays from promi- 

 nent men are expected. J. W. RorSE, Sec'y. 



Santa Fe, Mo. 



