and tts Economic Management. 29 
clothing. The white part seen at the rear of the sting 
being the poison bag should never be pinched when 
removing it, or the remainder of the venom may be 
pressed into the wound. 
The Sting may be Removed by the Bee, 
contrary to general statements. It is not usually done, 
because the bee is, of course, hastily knocked off, so that 
not only the sting but part of its body is also torn away. 
When the reader becomes so inured to stings, that when 
a bee darts straight at his hand, not a muscle will 
quiver, no matter what operation he is carrying out, 
then he may perhaps do as I] have done—allow the 
bee to remove its sting in its own way. As _ soon 
as the first act is over, the second very natural act 
begins, in that the bee rapidly spins round upon its 
sting as a pivot, while all the time drawing away from 
the wound. Thus only can the barb be withdrawn, and 
the bee having vented its anger retires, without being in 
any way injured. 
Rheumatism, Stings, and other Things. 
It has been frequently suggested that bee-stings will cure 
rheumatism. It is possible that some isolated cases may 
have appeared to be benefited as a result of the application. 
One might as well suggest that bee-stings will cause death, 
for as a matter of fact about as few of each event have 
occurred as a result of the injection of the formic acid. 
The application of bee-stings is on a par with the 
barbaric practices of leeching and bleeding, and about as 
unscientific as those now discarded practices. It is useless 
hoping to permanently cure local affections while the seat 
of the trouble—the digestive system—is neglected. The 
patient should be restricted to a temperate diet and the 
use of honey instead of common sugar. 
