DISEASES OF BEES 109 
spent by bee-keepers, and a vast amount of 
time and thought given by pathologists in the 
endeavour to trace its cause and remedy, but 
hitherto without avail. 
The usual symptoms are similar to those 
of dysentery, with a loss of power of flight. 
In attempting to fly, an affected bee falls to 
the ground in a helpless condition. 
As in dysentery, however, it is the older 
bees that are affected; the brood and young 
bees seem immune. It would seem, therefore, 
that the winter feeding on pollen has some- 
thing to do with it. Probably because pollen 
is more of a natural food to them, and 
because their air organs are not fully developed, 
the disease does not affect the young bees 
through that channel. 
There are many so-called remedies which 
claim to be efficacious, but I have no faith 
in them except in very mild cases. I fail to 
see how a remedy can be administered when 
a hive is attacked in mid-winter and the bees 
are clustered, or when it reaches the stage 
when paralysis occurs. In such a case there 
is nothing to be done short of destruction. 
If, however, a bee-keeper should have 
reason to suspect the conditions of a hive, 
and it is at all possible to feed it outside, I 
