Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-02
BEES USED TO CURE DISEASE.
Many Persons Stung to Get Relief
From rheumatism.

"How doth the little busy bee I'M
prove each shining hour?" Well, the
bee, like many humans, has branchcd
out somewhat on its original industry
of gathering honey and set up as q
"healer'' on quite an extensive scale
says The Philadelphia Record In
Philadelphia a number of sufferers are
taking the bee treatment for rhcuma-
tism, and it is probable that 70 the
lrninitiatcd the treatment seems worse
than the disease, for it amounts to
nothing less than being stung by the
insect
The method Of procedure Is to rem
der the affected part antlSeptlc by use
of such solutions as the doctor may
advise. Then by the aid of forcepS d
single bee is selected from box pre-
viously secured from the apiarist and
held to the part affected by the rheu-
natisn. In short order the Infatuated
bee stings the patient, leaving his
sting behind. which later has to be
removed During the first twenty-four
hours the swelling of the affected area
is. Of course, increased, but rapidly
hours, taking away much of the orig
inal rheumatism swelling and pain.
The bee virus when analysed by
che msts shows a large proportion OF
formc acid and some fatty residue.
This acid is found to a considerable
extent in other insects, such as ants,
some caterpillars and singing nettles
Many of these pests" in fact, hold an
important place in the materia medi-
ca Of today.
The bee-sting theory was discovered
quite Ly accident. as often is the case
in great discoveries. 1t is said that
the owner of a bee farm was one day
showing his old father the hives, when
something occurred to irritate the bees
and they made a furious attack on the
visitors. The old man. being much
crippled with rheumatism. was unable
to move rapidly. and consequently re
ceived the brunt of the StinSs. TWO
days later, upon recovering from the
unwclcome attack. he found himself tc
be in much less; pain and IN every way
more active than he had been for
twenty years. The nine days wonder
soon found its way to the medical
world. and was there proven to be q
really wonderful cure
The honey bee. technically known as
the apis melliiicus. belonging to the
family of hymenOptera. has been a
valuable acquisition in medical cir
cles In the homeopathic pharma
copoeia are many drugs coming direct
from the bee. The dessicated insect
itself, or the virus soluble in alcohol,
is a remedial agent in many ills when
Ia,
homeopathic principle of like curing
like" these insect drugs are usually
given for a condition similar to the
effect which they produce. For in
stance, bee virus is given for the
singing. burning rash accompanying
scarlet fever: differently prepared, It is
used for hives, and 50 on throughout a
long list OF applied therapeutics.
The ant also is an important factor
in medicine When irritated they emit
a fluid containing both fornic and
malc acid, and by infusing ants in
boiling water an acid as strong as
vinegar is obtained, which has been
used in place of vinegar. Formic
acid is commercially prepared by
heating oxalc acid and glycerine, the
oxalc acid separating into formic
acid and carbon dioxide. The result
is lcolcrless fluid of strongly acid
smell, which produces a "blister and
great pain" when dropped on the skin,
which is really a good description Of a
bee sting
In medicine there are several ways of
administering a drug, the quickest and
most potent method being the hypo-
dermic syringe: so when a rheumatic
joint is attacked by living hypo-
dermic and its blistering fluid injected
at once set up that as yet has not been
eIualled by any drug as cure in this
stubborn disease.
Southey, in 1.-THE Doctor" says
when we are told to go to the ant
and the bee and consider their ways it
Is not that we should borrow from
them formic laws or apiarian policy
To-day Southey seems a bit behind the
times. for that is exactly the lesson
these useful little insects are teaching.
The example of diligence in business
which the sicthful ones We're told to
emulate in hygone days still holds
good. but as the professions supersede
trade as a step up in the scheme of
evolutln, so progresseth the ant and
the bee. though it may mean the
sacrifice of life and limb to the little
pioneers in their lifesaving and health
giving quest.
One old lady, living in West Phila-
,e.nh1a who has long been q sufferer