130 THE STORY-BOOK OF SCIENCE 



with the venom of the bee or wasp. The scholars 

 I am telling you of dip the point of the needle into 

 the bee's pocket of venom, and with this point thus 

 wet with the venomous liquid give themselves a 

 slight sting. The pain is now sharp and of long 

 duration, more so than if the insect itself had stung 

 the experimenter. This increase of pain is due to 

 the fact that the comparatively large needle intro- 

 duces into the wound more venom than could the 

 bee's slender sting. You understand it now, I hope : 

 it is the introduction of the venom into the wound 

 that causes all the trouble. ' ' 



< < That is plain, ' ' said Jules. ' But tell me, Uncle, 

 why these scholars amuse themselves by pricking 

 themselves with needles dipped in the bee's venom? 

 It is a queer amusement, to hurt oneself for noth- 

 ing." 



"For nothing, Mr. Harum-scarum? Do you 

 count as nothing what I have just told you! If I 

 know it, must not others have taught me ? Who are 

 these others? They are the valiant investigators 

 who learn about everything, observe and study 

 everything, in order to alleviate our suffering. 

 When they voluntarily prick themselves with poi- 

 son, they propose to study in themselves, at their 

 own risk and peril, the action of the venom, to teach 

 us to combat its effects, which are sometimes so 

 formidable. Let a viper or a scorpion sting us, and 

 our life is in peril. Ah, then it is important to know 

 exactly how the venom acts and what must be done 

 to arrest its ravages; it is then that the scholars' 

 researches are appreciated, researches that Jules 



