General Action
The poison of the honey-bee produces varying degrees of cellulitis, not only under the skin, but in various parts of the body.
It also produces inflammations of serous membranes, particularly in the head, and parenchymatous inflammations of various organs, especially of the kidneys; in this latter property it exhibits many points of analogy with other insect poisons, Cantharis, Doryphora, etc. General oedema usually accompanies the nephritis of Apis.
Generalities
The characteristic features of the Apis-disease are general drowsiness, even, with high temperature, fever without thirst, afternoon aggravation, more or less profound apathy; and quick, stinging pains, which sometimes make the patient cry out. Weakness. Dropsical swellings. Inflammatory swellings, erysipelas-like, bright red, puffy, with stinging pains. Prostration. Bruised sensations. Pricking over the whole body. Rarely paralysis; rarely convulsions. Symptoms extend from right to left. General aggravation about the four five P. M. General intolerance of heat.
Mind
Stupor, sometimes amounting to unconsciousness. Muttering delirium. Stupor, interrupted by sudden sharp cries and startings.
Head
Vertigo with confused headache, somewhat ameliorated by walking. Head feels hot and heavy, ameliorated by external pressure. Hot sweat of the head.
Eyes
Stinging pains. Lids swollen, red, hot, everted like a mass of red flesh. Upper lids hang down like sacs. Margins of lids inflamed, burning. Conjunctiva bright red, puffy. Lachrymation with burning and stinging. Sharp pains on attempting to use the eyes. Photophobia. Pain around the orbits, ameliorated by pressure.
Ears
Swollen, red and hot.
Nose
Externally swollen, red and hot. Tip of nose cold (preceding a sore throat).
Face
Swollen, oedematous, red with piercing pains. OEdematous, pale with dropsical troubles.
Mouth
Gums swollen, bleed easily. Tongue swollen. Tongue raw on margins, with scalding. Tongue dry and sore. Vesicles on tip and margins of tongue. Whole mouth sensitive as if scalded.
Throat
Swollen and puffy, bright red. Constriction, difficult swallowing. Hot and dry with stinging pains. Uvula elongated, swollen like a sac. Tonsils swollen, intensely inflamed. Throat so swollen, internally and externally, that breathing is difficult.
Stomach
No appetite. No thirst (as a rule, though Apis patients are sometimes thirsty). Vomiting of food, retching (associated with other symptoms). Soreness. Burning.
Abdomen
General soreness, aggravated by touch. Distention. Sharp, stinging pains, mostly extending upward.
Rectum and Anus
Anus raw, during diarrhoea. Seem relaxed, anus feels constantly open. Piles protrude.
Stool
Diarrhoea, yellow watery painless, cannot be retained while urinating. Olive-green stools. Mucus, jelly-like stools, streaked with blood.
Urinary Organs
Urine scanty or suppressed. Urine high colored. Micturition frequent. Burning and soreness when urinating.
Acute nephritis, urine scanty or suppressed, with general oedema, sleepiness, lack of thirst, dry, irritable skin, suffocation on lying down, etc.
Sexual Organs
Male organs swollen, oedematous. Swollen and inflamed (diffuse cellulitis). Labia swollen, oedematous. Inflamed. Cutting pains in the ovarian region (left or right). Ovary inflamed, great tenderness of abdomen. Violent, sharp pains in ovarian region (not inflammatory). Uterine haemorrhage during pregnancy. Heaviness in uterus, with faintness, etc. Soreness over uterine region. Dysmenorrhoea, with tenderness. ovarian pains, puffy face.
Respiratory Organs
Hoarseness, rawness in larynx. Cough aggravated after lying and sleeping. (Edema of epiglottis and larynx). Expectorations bloody, frothy. Dyspnoea, as if could not breathe again. Sense of suffocation on lying down. Bruised pain and soreness over the chest. Occasional sharp stitches through the chest.
Heart and Pulse
Distress in heart. Heart’s action feeble. (Pericardial effusion.) Pulse feeble, rarely full and strong.
Neck and Back
Cervical glands swollen. Neck stiff, lame. Back lame. Dragging in small of back (with ovarian and uterine diseases). Soreness or bruised feeling over the region of the kidneys. Neuralgia in coccyx and sacrum.
Extremities
General oedema. Inflammation of knee joint.
Skin
Urticaria. Erysipelas. Always great sensitiveness, stinging pains. General anasarca, pale swellings. Veins inflamed.
Sleep
Sleepiness. Startings in terror.
Fever
Chilliness (periodic at 3 P. M.). Heat predominates, without thirst (usually), with drowsiness. Heat of head with throbbing, ameliorated by pressure. Sweat not marked, skin usually dry.