>o—Uincatf r Farming, Saturday, May 3, 1975 Sharing ideas on local government issues during a special legislative breakfast at State 4-H Capital Days in Harrisburg, April 7-8, are, 4-Hers from Chester Co. from left: Representative Earl H. Smith, Jenny Robinson, Representative Patricia Lancaster Beekeepers Meet Dr. Stephen D. Lockey Sr. recently addressed the Lancaster County Beekeepers on allergies, especially those due to bee and other hymenopter venom. He compared the early ecology of our nation with the present en vironment, the nature, causes, symptoms, and remedies of allergies. About a generation ago allergies as a medical specialty was not very promising to a prospective medical student because the environment was less heavily polluted and food was less highly processed. The etiology or cause of an allergy often requires highly shilled technologists to diognose a case before successful treatment can begin and that sometimes entails much time and patience of the patient and the physician. An allergy results when the body over-reacts to some foreign substance such as hymenopter venom. Mild symptoms include localized pain, itchiness, redness and swelling similar to a mosquito bite. They may develop into more severe symptoms as erythems;-a severe redness of the skin associated with some local inflammation, gastroin testinal disorders as nausea, vomiting, or evacuation, dispnea;-difficulty in breathing, trachycardia;- excessively light and rapid heart beat, sweating especially of palms and soles and development of fever. Such systemic anaphylaxis ends m severe shock or death if not treated by a physician. Dr. Lockey described interesting techniques he and others developed for collecting hymenoptera venom for hyposensitization. One of his patients in the audience, James Brenner, still keeps bees after suf fering a systemic anaphylaxis because Dr. Lockey was able to desen sitize him. Delayed reactions were also considered. Simple home remedys were discussed in the question period. Mud on a sting could be dangerous especially today with pollution so common. The bodies of stinging and biting insects sometimes carry bloody poison or lock jaw germs'.' Lard or butter ap plied to stings are useful only for their psychological ef fects. Sucking out the venom and applying ammonia have some value. V,'-' w - I