Yes, indeed arthritis can be cured by bee stings, they even purified the active
 component, so it wont be so painful (i.e. taking out the pain-causing stuff in
 the venom). there is a guy good at this in China with APITHERAPY.
This NOTE is a reply to:
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> Mon, 17 Aug 92 09:56:21 CDT
>Received: by MIZZOU1 (Mailer R2.08) id 9518; Mon, 17 Aug 92 09:54:37 CDT
>Date:         Mon, 17 Aug 1992 08:53:00 CST
>Reply-To:     Discussion of Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
>Sender:       Discussion of Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
>From:         [log in to unmask]
>Subject:      arthritis and stings
>X-To:         Discussion of Bee Biology
>              <[log in to unmask]>
>To:           GENE ROBINSON <[log in to unmask]>,
>              ZHIYONG HUANG <[log in to unmask]>
>
>          I had heard that bee stings were theraputic for arthritis
>          sufferers, but had dismissed it as being an 'old wives
>          tale'.  However, I happened to mention it to an older (late
>          60's) member of our beekeeper's club.  He replied that he
>          did indeed sting his wife when her arthritis was especially
>          painful.  She usually attended meetings with him so I had an
>          opportunity to verify first hand the effectiveness of bee
>          stings.  She said that "Yes, Merlynn does get some bees and
>          sting me when my arthritis gets bad."  As I recall, her
>          arthritis is in her shoulders and Merlynn stings her 2 or 3
>          times per shoulder.  She says it helps so I guess there may
>          be some truth to that old wives tale.
>          Isn't it nice to know that arthritis is one thing we bee
>          keepers won't suffer from because of all the stings we get
>          just tending the bees.