186 THE PEACTICAL BEE GUIDE. 



331. Prevention. — To guard against this complaint, late 

 manipulations, causing- undue excitement and consumption of 

 food, and late feeding with syrup, when evaporation and seal- 

 ing of the food are impossible, should be avoided : none but 

 pure, refined cane sugar should be used for syrup and candy 

 feeding. 



332. Treatment. — When an attack of dysentery has set in, 

 the bees should be transferred to a clean hive, contracted to 

 the space occupied by the cluster; very soiled combs should be 

 removed and washed clean, and their places should be occupied 

 by clean combs ; candy, or sealed honey should be given ; and, 

 the bees should be kept warm, and as free as possible from 

 excitement. A few warm days generally put matters right. 



333. Paralysis. — Bee paralysis is a disease which exists to 

 some extent in this country, although it is not often reported. 

 A peculiarity of the disease is, that it comes and goes in an 

 unaccountable manner, suddenly attacking a strong colony, and 

 reducing it to the condition of a nucleus, and sometimes dis- 

 appearing as suddenly, leaving no apparent trace behind, save 

 the depleted state of tlie stock. 



334. Symptoms, — In the early stages, the affected bees will 

 be seen leaving the hive, their abdomens greatly swollen. 

 Later on, the trembling, or shaking paralysis shows itself. 

 The healthy bees seize the unhealthy, and drag them from the 

 hive ; no resistance is offered, and, in an incredibly short time, 

 the stock will become small and weak, and will, if the disease 

 continue, be wiped out. (360). 



335. Treatment. — Among the remedies prescribed are (i) 

 recjueening ; but, in pronounced cases, a change of queens has 

 little effect : (2) transferring the stock to the stand of a strong, 

 healthy stock, and vice versa; thus providing a force of strong, 

 healthy bees to remove the diseased and infectious bees to a 

 distance: and, (3) dusting with sulphur, which is said to show 

 good results when thoroughly done. This method is, to remove 

 all combs containing brood or eggs, giving them to another 

 colony; and, in the same evening, when all the bees are at 

 home, to dust every comb and every bee in the hive with 

 suli:)hur. On the next day, the combs previously removed are 

 returned to the hive ; the reason for their removal in the first 

 instance being, that dusting them with sulphur would kill all 

 the unsealed larvae, and would also kill all larvae hatched in 

 them subsequently. If the combs that have been treated be 

 given to strong colonies, the bees will clean out the cells, and 

 no mischief will result. No evidence of a cure will show itself 

 before a week or ten days have elapsed ; therefore, the treat- 

 ment is not to be considered a failure when good results are 

 not immediately visible. 



