As a physician/beekeeper of 15 and 4 years, respectively, I was surprised to learn how few beekeepers have sting kits (specifically, kits containing injectable epinephrine, the only real emergency therapy for anaphylaxis). Certainly there exists a definite, albeit small, risk that a visitor the the apiary is one of those 0.1 - 0.5% of the population that is allergic to bee stings. I decided the main reason is probably that it requires a physician's prescription and getting that can be a bit of a hassle. While I am licensed to do general practice, my area of specialty is public health and preventive medicine. Therefore, I've decided to purchase the kits in bulk for prescriptive resale to beekeepers who want them ($25 ea). They are in no way a substitute for regular care by an allergist should hypersensitivity be suspected in the beekeeper or his/her family (and patients/recepients/purchasers must sign acknowledging this), but rather are a "first aid" emergency device used for stung persons previously unknown to be allergic. Sound practice requires that administration of emergency epinephrine to allergic individuals be immediatly followed by rapid transport to medical care. To steal a phrase from the gun lobby, better to have one and not need it than the reverse. Statistically, the chances of dying from a beesting are much smaller than getting hit by a car on the way to the beeyard. Still, as a physician-beekeeper, I'd be foolish not to have treatment on-hand, and some of you may be concerned about your liablility also. Aunt Millie lying on the ground in a white suit is just too frightening an image for my tastes. I'm doing this as a service to the beekeeping community, and so I'd be interested in that community's reaction (prepare cudos or flames now). Apparently, no physician has offered this before. I've put an ad in -Bee Culture-. We'll see what you have to say. Tim Cote MD MPH 512 Boston Ave Takoma Park, MD 20912 tel 301-587-2425 fax 301-587-9261 [log in to unmask]