154 APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY 



not take place freely, the wound should be cut open. 

 Active stimulation with such substances as strong coffee 

 or ammonia is also necessary. 



271. Insect stings and bites. Bees, wasps, and hornets pos- 

 sess a hollow sting through which the insect injects poison into the flesh. 

 This poison produces swelling and pain, and if there are a great num- 

 ber of stings, there will also be a considerable weakness of the whole. 

 body. Usually the swelling begins to decrease within an hour. To 

 allay the smarting, a lump of cold mud is an effective remedy. Carbolic 

 acid in water sopped on with a cloth is also good. If the insect has 

 left its sting in the flesh, it should be removed by pressing over the 

 sting with the open end of a watch key, or by picking it out with the 

 point of a sharp knife. 



The bites of mosquitoes and of flies produce swelling and pain or 

 itching in some people. Ammonia water or carbolic acid in water 

 usually gives relief. 



SUMMARY 



1. Disease is a derangement in the action of some of the 



cells of the body. Drugs either stimulate or retard 

 the action of the cells. 



2. All narcotics and drugs are poisons. 



3. In every case of poisoning the stomach and intestine 



should be emptied at once, and a stimulant with 

 an antidote to destroy the poison should be given. 



4. Spoiled or poisonous food produces stomach and intes- 



tinal disturbance. It should be expelled from the 

 body as soon as possible. 



5. The active principles of many vegetable drugs are 



called alkaloids. 



6. Leucomaines and ptomaines are substances resembling 



alkaloids, but are produced in the bodies of animals. 



7. The poisons of snakes and insects are substances 



like leucomaines, and are injected into the flesh by 

 means of a hollow tooth or sting. 



