The St. Louis Republic., 1902-09-07
WRITTEN yoR TIE suNpAT RxPuRLLc.

WRITTEN yoR TIE SUNDAY REPUBLIC
In addition to its tme-honored reputato
for industry, the busy little bee has bee
recently found TO possess valuable med.
cinal properties. Taken regularly and un
der proper medical direction, a bee sting
IL is believed by many, Is q valuable pan
acea for many serious disorders. Several
remarkable cures believed to have been
wrought solely by the medicinal properties
of bee stings have been recently reported.
Much remains to be learned as to the ex-
act effects OF bees stings. Being a some
what violent treatment II should not be
taken freely, except by regular medical pre-
scription-
The poison exuded by the sting Of the
honey bee has long had q recognized chemi-
cal value. II is known In commerce
fornio acfs- Its chemical formula is ex-
pressed by the symbol "CH2o2" This acid.
which is extremely powerful. Is a recog-
ntzed drug, and as such has many uses
It has had, besides. for years. a recognized
therapeutic value among hoEeopeths. The
sting Of the honey bee. II may readily be
understood. serves to Inject this powerful
medicine directly into the system. quite as
effectively though Il were administered
by q hypodermic syringe.
In these days OF free dispensaries here is
g cure which does not even need to be
given away So difficult il the gathering
and preparation OF this acid that the medi-
cines which IT dominates are naturally more
or less expensive. The bee sting cure Is
obviously within the reach OF all. Any
bee may readily be induced to part with
its precious secretion. The new cure-and
many believe II to be valuable treatment
has been discovered practically by accl-
dent
CONCENTRATED HONEY BEE POISON
CALLED FORMIC ACID.
Most medicines. of course. are evolved as
the result OF much chemical experiment
NJ ~t-anr- - II,
the bee cure. The cases already reported
of supposed cures from stings have been
surprisingly numerous.
The actual use OF the sting of bees is
more or less familiar at present on the
Eastern Shore of Maryland, in several sec
tons Of Pennsylvania. and in several parts
OF Long Island. The medicinal properties
OF bee stings are also familiar In Scotland.
1t is only OF late. however that the posi-
biiities OF the bee sting have attracted the
attention OF physicians At present expert
ments along these lines are being carried
forward by a number OF physicians and the
subject is attracting considerable attention
Among homeopaths medicines contain
ing forrnic acid or concentrated honey bee
poison have been effectively used for years
for variety OF serious diseases They are
employed in the treatment of Bright's dis
ease. In dropsy, in certain phases of diph-
therftic throat, and for rheumatism. There
is. OF course, nothing surprising In this
Etatement to homeopaths. Thousands of
sufferers have taken the bee sting as a
medicine. and are taking It to-day with
out knowing the source Of the medicine
Many stubborn, even chronic cases Of
rheumatism which have deded ordinary
medical treatment for years have been re-
lieved. even cured. by bee stings One of
the most recent OF these cases has been
the cure OF Mr.. William SniveIy OF Grove
near Chambersburg, Pa Mr. SniveIy had
been sufferer from acute rheumatism for
years and despite ordinary medical treat
nent had lost the use of both arms, so that
he was unable TO work He chanced to be
in his garden one day recently, when a
swarm of bees attacked him viciously,
stinging him severely. Such was she stiff
ness of HIS arms that he was practically
unable to defend himself.
RHEUMATIC PAIN AND STIFFNESS
RELIEVED BY TREATMENT.
The usual poisoning followed. and the .n-
jured portion quickly sweIled. with the
usual accompaniment of pain. Later, when
the swelling gradually disappeared, Mr..
Snively was amazed to fiLd that the rheu-
matte pain and stiffness from which he had
suffered for years was disappearing also.
The relief was so great that within a few
days he was enabled to regain the normal
use OF his arms. The sufferer has since
returned 20 his work. which he carries
with all his old freedom
The Tee sting treatment is reported to be
A man named z. r. Salisbury. living near
Chestertown. Nd. in writing of his expert
ence, says:
Il have tried the remedy by having bees
sting me at places where the pain seemed TO
start. Twenty-one bees stung me In three
different places and in less than twenty
four hours relieS was complete
These reported cures will appear perhaps
more natural to the layman when he comes
10 know something of the actual CONNER
ciai use of the poison OF the honey bee
The acid known among chemists as CH2O3
Is procured In considerable quantities from
the sting of the common honey bee Few
persons are familiar with the unusual
method employed for extracting II.
To procure this powerful liquid. number
Of honey bees are collected and placed IN q
glass jar. The top OF the jar Is covered
with netting. TO allow plenty of air for
breathing. The chemist then proceeds to
stir up the bees vigorously with . stick.