James Fisher wrote: "Bee stings themselves have never killed anyone.

What kills people is their own allergic reaction. "

Jim,
        I must say I do not agree with you on this. When we speak about LD50
for bee venom, we talk about the toxicity of it, not the allergenic (?)
potential of it. When one recieves say a thousand stings, it is the amount
of venom injected in the body that is important. It is true that someone who
is allergic (non-deadly one) to bee stings will have an allergic reaction
upon recieving 1000 stings, but the toxicity of the venom will probably be
the factor that will cause the most damages. When one is stung by a few
bees, the body reactions (swelling, hives, rash, ...) are produced by the
immune system. But when the LD50 of venom is reached, the body reacts
because of the toxins, just like when someone gets bitten by a snake.

Hugo Tremblay
Alma, Quebec

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