780 
STINGS 
further along) once get hold of the flesh, 
muscular contraction will rapidly work 
the sting deeper and deeper. Sometimes 
the sting separates, leaving a part (one of 
the splinters, so to speak) in the wound. 
It has been suggested that care should be 
taken to remove every one of these tiny 
points; but after trying many times to see 
what the effect would be, the author con¬ 
cludes that they do but little harm, and 
that the main thing is to remove the part 
containing the poison-bag before it has 
emptied itself into the wound. When very 
busy, or having something in the other hand 
to make it inconvenient to remove the sting 
with a knife or finger-nail, rub the sting out 
against the clothing, in such a way as to 
push the poison-bag off sidewise; and altho 
this plan often breaks off the sting so as 
to leave splinters in the wound, there will 
be found little if any more trouble from 
them than usual. 
REMEDIES FOR BEE-STINGS. 
Medicines of all kinds are of so little 
avail, if of any use at all, that the best way 
is to pay no attention to any of them. This 
has awakened a great deal of arguing, and 
the remedies that have been sent, which the 
writers knew were good, because they had 
tried them, have been enough to fill this 
whole chapter. The author has tried a 
great many of them, and, for a time, im¬ 
agined they were of value; but after giving 
them a more extended trial, he has been 
forced to conclude that they were entirely 
futile. They not only did no good, but if 
the directions with the remedy were to rub 
it in the wound, they did positive harm. 
The friction would diffuse the poison more 
rapidly into the circulation, and make a 
painful swelling of what would have been 
very trifling, if let alone. It should be 
borne in mind that the poison is introduced 
into the flesh thru a puncture so minute 
that the finest cambric needle could not, ex¬ 
cept by enlarging the puncture, enter where 
the sting did, and that the flesh closes 
over so completely as to make it practically 
impossible for the remedy to penetrate this 
opening. Even if there is a remedy that 
will neutralize the poison in something the 
same way that an alkali neutralizes any 
regular acid, how is it possible to get it 
directly in contact with the poison? There 
is no way of doing it unless resort is had 
to a surgical operation. There is no rem¬ 
edy except to remove the sting immedi¬ 
ately, and then let the wound alone, and 
going on with the work without even think¬ 
ing about it. But, suppose one gets under 
the eye a sting that closes up that very 
important organ; shall he go on with his 
work? That depends. If it brings on 
headache or causes great discomfort, rest 
for the day. If one is not immune, he 
should keep very quiet after a hard sting, 
especially if the heart action is too high 
or there is shortness of breath. And in 
the meantime apply a cold wet cloth un¬ 
til the local fever is allayed. Sometimes 
applying a hot and cold wet cloth alter¬ 
nately brings relief. 
Kerosene was suggested as a remedy, and 
two beekeepers regarded it of such impor¬ 
tance that they almost got into a contro¬ 
versy about who was entitled to the honor 
of the discovery. After having received a 
very bad sting on the hand, the author 
went for the oil can and dropped oil on the 
spot for some time. As kerosene will re¬ 
move a rusty bolt or screw when nothing 
else will avail, and as it seems to have a 
wonderful power of penetrating all cracks 
and crevices, we began to have faith that 
it might follow the sting of the bee, and in 
some way neutralize the poison. But the 
only result was one of the most painful 
and lasting wounds we ever had. 
WHAT TO DO WHEN HORSES ARE STUNG A 
GREAT NUMBER OF TIMES AT ONCE. 
Severe eases of stinging are usually the 
result of carelessness, either from allowing 
combs to be scattered, causing robbing, or 
because a hive has been bumped over by 
careless driving, or by some animal allowed 
the range of the apiary. There are a num¬ 
ber of cases on record where horses have 
been stung to death; and it is hardly safe 
to hitch such animals within a few feet of a 
hive, nor yet to let them run loose in a 
bee-yard, altho a few sheep may be let in 
to keep the grass down to advantage. 
Chalon Fowls of Oberlin, 0., left a horse 
hitched near some hives of what he thought 
were gentle Italians; but by some means or 
other the animal bumped one of the hives, 
irritating the bees, causing them to rush 
out and sting. The horse, of course, began 
