BITES AND STINGS – GENERAL INFORMATION
Hamilton Laboratories have released a product, Stingose, which is claimed to be of value in treating the bites and stings of insects, spiders, bees, marine creatures and plants.
It contains aluminium sulphate and this chemical denatures or destroys the protein venom of animals and the complex starches of plant venoms.
The quicker it is applied, the quicker it goes to work, neutralising the poison and relieving the pain and discomfort. It also relieves the inflammation and so there are fewer long-term effects.
For those who are allergic to bee stings, the immediate application of Stingose may be life-saving.
In northern waters at certain times of the year, the bluebottle (physalia) and the box jellyfish (chironex) may cause painful and, sometimes, fatal stings. The trouble is, these jellyfish have long trailing tentacles which wrap themselves around the body and with myriad of tiny stinging cells on the tentacles, may keep firing off and discharging venom. Attempting to brush off or wipe away the tentacles may cause further discharge of venom.
Alcohol has been recommended to kill the poison cells, dry the tentacles and make removal easier. There is some recent evidence that methylated spirits and other alcohols may fire off more venom cells. Vinegar has been shown to inactivate them but does not stop the pain or inactivate venom already in the skin. Stingose does.
The Surf Lifesaving Association in Queensland now recommends application of vinegar to inactivate the stinging cells of jellyfish tentacles and then to apply Stingose or a cooling lotion.
Vinegar is not a total treatment. Once the stinging cells have been inactivated by vinegar they should be removed with the finger tips.
Any sign of distress symptoms requires immediate medical assistance.
So, if you want a good weekend, you should not only pack the insect repellent but the best first aid treatment for bites and stings from both insects and plants.
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