PHYSIOLOGY. 287 



parts a sweet taste, which is succeeded by a hot 

 acrid one. It gives a slight red tinge, as has been 

 already hinted, to litmus paper, and hence the 

 ABBE' FONTANA has concluded that an acid enters 

 into its composition, but in very small proportion. 

 The venom is so extremely active, that he con- 

 jectures a grain in weight would kill a pigeon in 

 a few seconds. It is this fluid which causes the in- 

 flammation consequent upon being stung. A punc- 

 ture from a needle that was charged with it, would 

 produce precisely the same effects. These effects 

 are very different in different persons ; for whilst a 

 single sting will produce alarming symptoms in 

 one individual, another may receive numerous 

 punctures without sustaining pain or inflamma- 

 tion in any considerable degree ; sometimes with- 

 out suffering either. The activity of the venom 

 varies according to the season of the year : a sting 

 received in winter produces much less inconve- 

 nience than one inflicted in summer ; the pain and 

 inflammation are neither so intense nor of such 

 long continuance. This may arise from there 

 being a more copious secretion of venom in summer 

 than in winter ; for during the former season, if 

 a bee inflict several wounds with its sting, the pain 

 and inflammation become progressively less at each 

 consecutive puncture : after three or four punc- 

 tures, it is rendered incapable of producing more 

 inconvenience than the point of a sharp needle. 



