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On Tuesday, August 19, 2003, at 06:07  PM, longdistshtr wrote:
. . .From a scientific angle, the great designer applied a covering 
over the body
> to protect it from most of these substances mentioned  in this 
> discussion.
> Venom must be injected through it to work instantaneously, thus the
> stingers.
> Most any innocuous chemical  by its nature will not penetrate the 
> protective
> layer
> to reach this venom and to be effective must neutralize it or at the 
> very
> least block the pain transmitters or anesthetize the nerve endings.
> . . .

Yes, but immediately after being stung, there is a small hole in the 
skin, and perhaps some of these substances can sink in.  The 
description of vinegar stinging at first is consistent with this idea, 
as vinegar doesn't hurt at all on intact skin.

Bee venom is a complicated protein.  Most of the remedies suggested 
have the potential to denature a complicated protein.  Meat tenderizer 
splits bonds in proteins.  Vinegar and baking soda change the local pH, 
to which most proteins are very sensitive.  I don't know about glue or 
tobacco, although tobacco might act directly on the nerves, rather than 
the protein.

I've always just used an ice-cube, which doesn't work very well.  I 
think next time I will give vinegar a shot.  It sounds easy to 
administer and clean up from, it's unlikely to harm me, and who knows, 
maybe it will work.

Ginda