452 DISEASES DUE TO VENOMS AND POISONS 



Bee venom contains : — 



(i) Inflammatory poisons, perhaps from the acid gland. 



(2) Neurotoxins, convulsive and narcotic, the former perhaps from 

 the alkaline gland. 



(3) Hemolysins. 



Symptoms. — Bee keepers are usually partially immune, but the 

 immunity is temporary. Local inflammation and reaction is painfid. 



Sometimes faintness, vomiting, cold extremities and delirium 

 appear. 



A few have died as a result. CEdema and shock may be marked. 

 GEdema of the glottis is not uncommon when stings are about the 

 throat. 



The svmptoms usually disappear in twenty-four hours. 



The dangers are with children and old people, especially when the 

 stings are numerous. 



Treatment. — Weak solutions of ammonia answer w^ell. Carbolic 

 I in 20 should be applied at once. Str\'chnine, ammonia and ether 

 where much shock is present. 



THE VENOM OF ANTS AND CATERPILLARS. 



Ants (Formicidai). — Though small, ants are wonderfully organized 

 and capable of controlling the animal world in the Tropics. That 

 which is dead is removed by them; snakes will flee at their approach,, 

 and man does not relish a struggle with these aggressive creatures. 



Many of them possess a poison apparatus analogous to that of bees. 



The venom contains formic acid. 



Symptoms. — Local inflammation, faintness, shivering and tem- 

 porary paralysis. Dried ants are used by natives in preparing poison 

 for arrows. Apply ammonia solution, carbolic (i in 20), or camphor. 



Caterpillars (Lepidoptera). — These cause a skin eruj)tion and faint- 

 ness. 



The tiger-moth caterpillar produces a very painful angry eruption- 



The caterpillar of Porthesia chrysorrhoca from North America 

 causes its barbed hairs to penetrate the skin and to inject a venom 

 that causes necrosis of the epidermal cells and the formation of small 

 vesicles. Severe urticarial dermatitis may arise due to contact, the 

 hairs remaining in the skin. Some people are more sensitive to theni 

 than others. 



Clear away the hairs with soda bicarbonate lotion (2 per cent.). 



Apply ichthyol ointment (10 per cent.). 



