The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-10-23
THE JELlYFISH STING.

| Ih6 O6lIyfISn - iN0s
a Jerseyman Who Studies the Hsbits Of
the sea Nettle Finds Cause for its
| Sting.
| The observant Jerseyman has discov-
cred what he believes is a sure cure for
I the sting of that pest of many fine bath
ing waters, the sea ncttle, or jellyfish.
During the earlier part of the summer
in this neighborhood the waters are
quite free from the jellyfish, but when
abe heats of August are upon us, and
those who are fortunate enough to be
living near good bathing grounds
would be in the water every day, the
sea nettles make their appearance, and
Bitten in such numbers as to positively
drive people away from bathing. 1t is
not soften that they become such .
nuisance as this at open sea resorts,
but they do so occasionally even there.
1t is the enclosed waters, such as the
Kills, the Shrewsbury river, and tho
lower part of Long Island sound, that
suffer most.
The pretty, clear, jelly-lilse, umbrel-
la-shaped nettles come floating into
creasing in size, in numbers and in
virulence with every day of heat, until
there is hardly possibility of even the
most careful bather remaining I'M
stung. Even if there be not single
jellyfish in sight. you can not be sure
shat it is not at Land, hidden just be-
meath where the eye can see into the
waters, and ready to come up when a
victim is in sight; for these soft, Curl
Gus creatures can swim at will, driving
themselves along quite rapidly by the
opening and closing of their umbrella
shaped tops, and they can see and feel,
and smell, too, it is said At any rate,
if you try to catch one, there is good
chance that it will suddenly sink out
of sight IS you approach it, and if you
notice them drifting along with the
tide you will see that they do not col
Tide with objects in the water.
Scientific people who have studied
them say that all along the edge of the
umbrella top. between the streamers
that hang from it like fringe, they
have discovered bits Of the character
istic nerves of special senses Here
they have found eve specks, auditory
sacs, and olfactory grooves. The
mouth is at the lower end of the long
central streamer. The singing facili-
ties of the animal lie principally in the
dong, slender streamers which form
the fringe to the UMBRELLA top.
You may take the whole creature up
IN the palm of your hand and you will
not feel single bit of sting. Even
on the back of a tough hand it will not
be felt, but get tangled up in those
streamers as you swim and then feel
what happens! AS each fine tentacle
draws about the tender parts OF your
body you will feel at each place of con-
tact sharp, burning sensation, and
presently the skin. there will become
fiery red. Try what you may of the
usual remedies for stings. and none
will succeed in driving away either the
pain or the redness- 1t is not a very
severe pain. but it is annoying.
The scientific people say that the
poison cells consist OF little capsule
filed with an irritating liquid and con-
tanning spirally coiled flament which
has lot of hooks upon it When the
cell is touched, they say, the filament
flies out like spring and tears the
skin, and at the same time carries out
the poison with it What one notices
is that every pore of the afflicted skin
swells up until the part looks like
goose flesh, and from each pore
Is exuded a copious supply of clear
water. This often continues for
many hours after leaving the water.
What the observant Jerseyman first
noticed that led to his final experi-
ments was the curious effect which
fresh water has upon these saltwater
jellyfshes He gathered a lot of them
up one day, one by one. in a shrimp
net, and gently deposited them in the
cold fresh water of one of his orna-
mental ponds. The jellyfshes were
got into the fresh water without being
broken or injured in any way, but be-
fore they could even float out into
their proper form they were dead and
had turned white, as If they were OF
albumen ana had been boiled The
tentaclea which in salt water re-
main poisonous even when broken
off, were no longer so. Then it
occurred to the Jerseyman that pos
sibly the irritating poison which they
exude might depend for its effect upon
being in salt water The next time ne
went bathing ne took along pail Of
fresh water and sought occasion to be
stung. The poison was allowed TO WORK
until his bath was finished. Then the
affected part was washed in the FIRE sh
water. The singing ceased almost
instantly, and did not recur-
pom another occasion the poison
was left to work for several hours. ana
the oxidation of water from the irri-
tated pores was so great as fairly 70
soak cuff from a sting on the wrist,
and 70 wet collar from a sting On the
neck One fresh water applicat1n
cured the st5ngs at oRce.-N \. Sun
bigger Saisance
Cumso-I detest Jaysmith- De tells
all he knows
Cawker-It is not the chap who tells