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Index of Subjects --Apple-Mail-2-894237148 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; format=flowed; delsp=yes Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I have been reading a bit about insect stings. The Bald-faced Hornet =20 and the Yellow Jacket are regarded as the most painful insects we are =20= liked to encounter, although I do not know (and would hate to imagine) =20= how this conclusion could be rigorously tested. Some researchers have =20= actually compiled a sting-scale of such things. (For example, see: = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmidt_Sting_Pain_Index) One article states that such remedies as baking soda are probably =20 ineffective: "placing large amounts of alkali near the sting site is =20 unlikely to produce a perfectly neutral pH to stop the pain. Many =20 people do claim benefit from these home remedies, but it is doubtful =20 they have any real physical effect on how much a sting hurts or =20 continues hurting, the effect is probably related to rubbing the area =20= or the mind perceiving benefit." They even give references. See: = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_sting I have had that remedy used on bee stings, and it did not seem very =20 useful. For stings of the Bald-faced hornet, however, it was =20 amazingly effective. I was pulling weeds, and accidently grasped a =20 small, volunteer tree-seedling on which some Bald-faced Hornets =20 (Dolichovespula maculata) were just starting a nest. Two of them =20 alighted on my left forearm and began stinging. Being of an =20 investigative turn of mind, I restrained myself from brushing them =20 away, the better to be able to observe their attack, and to get a =20 certain identification. In this I was frustrated, because as they =20 injected their venom, they vibrated their bodies so that they looked =20 blurred. As the pain increased, I finally knocked them off my arm, =20 and ran indoors for some baking soda. When I used the baking soda, applied on a moistened paper towel, the =20 pain rather suddenly disappeared, and was replaced by a pleasurable =20 sensation. Perhaps this was an example of the contrast of stimuli. =20 Another remarkable thing is that I could find no marks, not even red =20 spots, indicating the points of injection. =46rom this I concluded that = =20 the venom had little effect on me except for its strong acidity, or =20 from some component whose activity was pH related. =97 Paul Boyer On 24 May 2009, at 6:13 PM, Ken MacAulay wrote: > Growing up in Scotland, as kids we would use the leaves of the =20 > dock(en) > plant to rub on nettle stings. We also put vinegar on bee/wasp =20 > stings. I > presume the acid somehow counteracted the venom. We used to chew =20 > plantain > leaves for refreshment - candies were still rationed till the early =20= > fifties! > Ken MacAulay > Port Mouton, NS > > --Apple-Mail-2-894237148 Content-Type: text/html; charset=WINDOWS-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">I have been reading a bit about = insect stings. The Bald-faced Hornet and the Yellow Jacket are regarded = as the most painful insects we are liked to encounter, although I do not = know (and would hate to imagine) how this conclusion could be rigorously = tested. Some researchers have actually compiled a sting-scale of = such things. (For example, see: <a = href=3D"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmidt_Sting_Pain_Index)">http://en.= wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmidt_Sting_Pain_Index)</a><div><br></div><div>One = article states that such remedies as baking soda are probably = ineffective: "<span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"line-height: = 19px; ">placing large amounts of alkali near the sting site is unlikely = to produce a perfectly neutral pH to stop the pain.<span = class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"line-height: 10px; = "> </span>Many people do claim benefit from these home = remedies, but it is doubtful they have any real physical effect on how = much a sting hurts or continues hurting, the effect is probably related = to rubbing the area or the mind perceiving benefit." They even = give references. = See: </span>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_sting</div><div><b= r></div><div>I have had that remedy used on bee stings, and it did not = seem very useful. For stings of the Bald-faced hornet, however, it = was amazingly effective. I was pulling weeds, and accidently = grasped a small, volunteer tree-seedling on which some Bald-faced = Hornets (<span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-style: = italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px; "><span = class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-weight: normal;">Dolichovespula = maculata</span><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-weight: = normal; font-style: normal;">)</span> <span = class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-style: normal; font-weight: = normal; line-height: normal; ">were just starting a nest. Two of = them alighted on my left forearm and began stinging. Being of an = investigative turn of mind, I restrained myself from brushing them away, = the better to be able to observe their attack, and to get a certain = identification. In this I was frustrated, because as they injected = their venom, they vibrated their bodies so that they looked blurred. = As the pain increased, I finally knocked them off my arm, and ran = indoors for some baking = soda.</span></span></div><div><br></div><div>When I used the baking = soda, applied on a moistened paper towel, the pain rather suddenly = disappeared, and was replaced by a pleasurable sensation. Perhaps = this was an example of the contrast of stimuli. Another remarkable = thing is that I could find no marks, not even red spots, indicating the = points of injection. =46rom this I concluded that the venom had = little effect on me except for its strong acidity, or from some = component whose activity was pH related.</div><div><br></div><div>=97 = Paul Boyer</div><div><br></div><div><br><div><div>On 24 May 2009, at = 6:13 PM, Ken MacAulay wrote:</div><br = class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div>Growing= up in Scotland, as kids we would use the leaves of the = dock(en)<br>plant to rub on nettle stings. We also put vinegar on = bee/wasp stings. I<br>presume the acid somehow counteracted the = venom. We used to chew plantain<br>leaves for refreshment - = candies were still rationed till the early fifties!<br>Ken = MacAulay<