REMEDIES FOR THE STINS OF A BEE. 421 



Others recommend the juice of tobacco, as the sovereign 

 panacea for bee-slings. Unquestionably, relief has been 

 found, by different persons, from each and all of these reme- 

 dies, and there is no good reason to conclude, that the same 

 remedy will in all cases answer, for the poison of the bee, 

 any more than that the same medicine will cure all persons 

 affected with a common disease. 



If the mouth is applied to the wound, very unpleasant 

 consequences may ensue. Whilq the poison of venemous 

 snakes and many other noxious animals, affecting only the 

 circulating system, may be swallowed with entire impunity, 

 the poison of the bee acts with equal power, on the organs of 

 digestion. The most distressing headaches are often pro- 

 duced by it. 



From my own experience, I recommend cold water as the 

 very best remedy with which I am acquainted, for a bee- 

 sting. It is often applied in the shape of a plaster of mud, 

 but may be better used by wetting cloths and holding them 

 gently to the wound. The poison of the bee being very 

 volatile, is quickly dissolved in water ; and the coldness of 

 the water has also a powerful tendency to check inflamma- 

 tion, and to prevent the virus from being taken up by the 

 absorbents and carried through the system. The leaves of 

 the plantain, crushed and applied to the wound, will answer 

 as a very good substitute when water cannot at once be pro- 

 cured. Bevan recommends the use of spirits of hartshorn, 

 applied to the wound, and says that in cases of severe sting- 

 ing its internal use is beneficial. 



Whatever remedy is applied, should be used if possible, 

 without a momenfs delay. The immediate extraction of the 

 sting, will alone prove much more efficacious, than any rem- 

 edy that can be applied, after it has been allowed to remain 

 and discharge all its venom into the wound. 

 36 



