VALUABLE BEE-STINGS. 



HOW THE INSECT WILL HELP TO 

 CURE RHEUMATISM. 



Martyrs to rheumatism have reason to 

 look with more hope to the future. There 

 is a probability that they may find relief 

 from their distressing complaint through 

 the instrumentality of the hitherto dreaded 

 sting of a bee — assisted by the ingenuity 

 and observation of man. It has been 

 noticed that bee-keepers are either alto- 

 gether immune from rheumatism, or that 

 they speedily recover after they have re- 

 cei /ed a few stings, and a " bee-vaccinator " 

 has been evolved, with a view to enabling 

 medical men to innoeulate rheumatic 

 patients. This " bee - vaccinator " is 

 amongst the novelties which were being i 

 shown at the exhibition of the Surrey Bee- i 

 Keepers' Association at the Crystal Palace, 

 and is intended to remove a difficulty which 

 has been experienced in applying bee-stings. 

 Hitherto it was more than an even chance 

 that the person conducting the vaccination 

 would be stung by the busy little insect, but 

 all this is changed by the "bee-vaccinator/'' 

 This is an ingenious appliance, secured to a 

 small platform resembling the lid of a box. 

 It is placed over the hole of a hive, and the 

 bees readily enter if a trace of honey is ap- 

 plied as a bait outside a perforated zinc 

 slide, which is part of the mechanism. By 

 closing the slides the bees are imprisoned, 

 the requisite number thus being secured. 

 The little " vaccinators " can then be re- 

 moved from the hive, or inspection-box, ! 

 and may be sent by post or carried about 

 ready for use. The actual operation of | 

 vaccination is simplicity itself. The "bee- 

 vaccinator " is placed on the affected part 

 of the patient, and a knob is pressed down 

 until the bees sting. If desired, a local 

 anaesthetic may be applied. The value of 

 a bee-sting lies in the fact that the formic 

 acid which is thus injected by the insect 

 neutralises the poisons in the blood which 

 cause rheumatism. At one or two of the 

 London hospitals bee-stinging to cure 

 rheumatism has already been adopted, and 

 at St. Bartholomew's a " bee-vaccinator " is 

 in use, and bees are regularly supplied to 

 tho hospital for the purpose. It is ex- 

 plained that the first few stings cause in- 

 flammation, but this gradually goes down, 

 and after a while a bee-keeper feels little or 

 no discomfort from a sting. 



