Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-01
USES BEE STINGS
MYRoN G. BEALs HAS FAD CURE
FOR RHEUMATISM.
CLAIMS VIRUS PREVENTS PAINS
stinss No Longer Cause Annoyance
Sioux City Man Believes He Would
Be Cripple Were 1t Not for His
Bees-keeps Them for Medicine.

The virus injected into the system
by the sting of the common honey bee
is the latest fad cure for rheumatism
and is one that is not likely to become
popular with the great mass of aff1ict-
ed sufferers.
Myron G. Beals, m ember of the
Woodbury. county board of commission.
ers in Sioux City, has been bee cul-
turist for years only for the benefit of
which he claims he receives physically
from the poisonous stings of his busy
insects.
Mr.. Beals is perhaps the largest pro-
Queer OF honey in the county, his crop
the past year amounting to nearly ST.
600. He has several hundred hives of
bees. OF late years he has expressed
desire to retire from the business of
an apiarist, but he fears if the stings
OF his bees upon his body are not con-
tinued, after his system has become so
thoroughly inoculated with the virus,
he will become a helpless cripple from
rheumatism
Sincere in Belief.
Mr.. Beals is sincere in this belief
and he points to the fact that his
mother, who lives in the east, is at
| present an invalid from rheumatism
and that a sister is a cripple from the
| same disease. 1t is inherent in the
blood of the family, he maintains, and
| the stings of his bees are his only sal
walton.
"There is no profit in the honey bust
| ness any more" said Mr.. Beals, "es
pecially in the west. The country has
grown and settled up SO that the wild
| flowers are almost extinct, and the
bees have few sources of supply for
their raw material. suppose | shall
keep my bees, however, as long as
live" Mr.. Beals is a prosperous man
and lives on fine farm. He is in the
neighborhood of 40 years of age.
A Medical Fact.
1T is fact known to the medical
profession" said Mr. Beals, chat the
sting OF bee has virtue in curative
way, and the virus can be purchased
out OF the drug stores. l scarcely no
| tice the. stings of bees any more, as
far as the pricking sensation is con.
cerned. 1t used to be painful, but now
can receive stings all over my head
face and arms and scarcely notice it
Bee stings have cured many human
beings as well as cattle and horses
If person not accustomed to stings
We're to receive as many as | do al
one time | don't believe they would
survive the experience. | believe the
effect of being inoculated with the poi
son from the bee is like having the
| system filled with alcohol or any mar
cotic-the more you have had of il
the more you can stand
| Are Not Respecters of Persons.
1 There is nothing in the statement
that it is possible to handle bees in
a careful or kind way and avoid be
ing stung. | have been in the bust
ness good many years and know
| they are no respecter of persons. You
are apt to get stung when you are
4 not expecting it. When one bee in
| a swarm stings you you are almost
certain to be stung again and again
for there is a certain odor which
seems to come from sting that at
tracts other bees and Anglers them
The more you fight swarm the more
you will be stung, for bees are pecul
iarly subject to excitement. Bee cul
i ture is one of the most fascinating Of
studies. 1t is an interesting science
i l understand how to care for then
land want their stings. / shall not
go out of the business, although it is
not profitable financially | have rheu
matte twings in my muscles that give
me anxiety, for fear shall be subjec
to the fate of other members of oul
family and shall not run any chance:
by letting go of my bees.