AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



729 



this to the fifth generation, when, presto, 

 where are the black bee signs ? This 

 plan will work both ways. 



The Italian bee is a good one, but have 

 any improvements been made only in 

 color, or bymismating? I think that 

 the original qualities of any one race 

 cannot be improved by using queens and 

 drones continually of the same strain, 

 but merely hold established qualities ; 

 therefore the necessity of knowing and 

 comparing those qualities, before com- 

 pounding them, for the purpose of origi- 

 nating a new strain. 



But, alas ! I fear the missing link be- 

 tween animal and insect will forever bar 

 us out of the haven of complete and 

 almost unlimited success. We are aware 

 of the great strides in the line of speed 

 by the horse, that has been accomplished 

 of late years, but please allow me to say 

 that much of this wonderful success 

 must justly be accorded to the wonderful 

 power of external influences. But I fear 

 this wonderful agency cannot be applied 

 to as low an order of life as the bees. 

 Simply carry the order of improvement 

 to the sixth generation of the bee, and 

 what have you done with any one race? 

 Reached the acme of perfection. Affinity 

 has reached its level. But if this exter- 

 nal power could, in this case, be aptly 

 applied, who is able to tell where our 

 success would terminate? 



But honestly, dear reader, we do not 

 need any better bees than we have at 

 the present time. We have those that 

 are beautiful, gentle, prolific, and very 

 industrious, and large and strong. As 

 rational beings, we should truly be con- 

 tent. Take better care of those we 

 have, that they may give better returns. 



For none will ever be found. 



That will collect nectar when It does not 



abound* 

 None that will work without propolis and 



stains. 

 None that sting, without giving you pains. 

 None that will forever non-swarming be- 

 None that may suit every one— not even me. 

 Peabody, Kans. 



Bee-Stings as a Cure for Rheu- 

 matism — Care Required. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 

 BY P. C. GUESS, M. D. 



I notice that on page 526 is given a 

 cure for rheumatism by the sting of the 

 honey-bee. That the Apis mellifica is 

 one of our best remedies, is no longer 

 doubted, but I fear from the substance 



of the article copied from the British 

 Bee Journal, that people do not use the 

 necessary precaution to be entirely safe, 

 as it is only a matter of time until we 

 will hear of some fatal result, which 

 will be detrimental to our business of 

 bee-keeping, and discouraging to a good, 

 effective, and safe treatment for rheu- 

 matism. I feel as though it is actually 

 resting upon me to call attention to this 

 fact, as I was the first doctor to encour- 

 age this treatment. 



After an appeal from Gleanings, a few 

 years ago, when this subject was first 

 mentioned, at which time Mr. Root 

 asked for information, I gave my experi- 

 ence in two cases, which can be found in 

 the back numbers of Oleanings. 



As to the virtue of the direct sting, 

 there is no further doubt in, my mind 

 that it will cure many cases of rheuma- 

 tism and neuralgia,and urinary diseases; 

 but only such cases as are subjects of 

 kidney troubles are most readily cured, 

 or where there is uremic acid in the 

 blood. Cestitis, or inflammation of the 

 bladder, are many times relieved and 

 cured. Neuralgia is one of the human 

 elements that readily yield to the little 

 yellow "doctor." 



I will relate the effect and result on 

 my esteemed friend, Dr. C. A. Cremer, 

 who, for years, suffered with facial 

 neuralgia, which resisted all medication 

 given by the way of the stomach, when 

 one day while approaching one of his 

 attacks I by accident got him stung by 

 pursuading him to go to a hive of very 

 fine bloods, which I first had teased for 

 the occasion, when one of them did the 

 work well by striking the spot most 

 affected, which was his left eye. The 

 pain disappeared in a few minutes, but 

 his face and both eyes swelled shut, and 

 he remained in his room for four days, 

 feeling well, but unfit to be seen. 



The immediate effect was sickness, 

 profuse perspiration, and following 

 eruption on the surface of the body. The 

 result was no further neuralgia, al- 

 though 2% years has elapsed since the 

 time of the sting, which was only one 

 sting. Now suppose there had been six 

 or eight, as many apply, there would not 

 have been doctors enough in the uni- 

 verse to have kept him alive. 



Another case is fresh in my mind of a 

 man who was stung and came to my 

 office for advice. When ascending the 

 stairs he became sick and faint, and fell, 

 rolling down stairs, and was unconscious 

 for fully one-half hour. 



Now these are two cases where one 

 sting each was more than sufficient for 



