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Carpal Tunnel
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honey naturally is pretty antiseptic, and resist most molds. but i think mildew is one of few fungus that can infect honey. (botullism is an other bacterium that also can survive in honey-- barely, there is usually not enough to hurt adults, but children have been effected by the botullism toxin)
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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With regard to toxic honey, there is also a long history. One of the earliest references comes from the writings of the Greek Xenophon (approx. 400 B.C.) who described the effects of soldiers eating a toxic honey. The incident occurred in what is now Turkey. The soldiers were returning to Greece from a campaign in the Persian Empire, encountered the hives and robbed them of their honey. Xenophon indicated that the soldiers who consumed the honey lost thier senses, and were inflicted with "vomiting and purging". A later reference indicates that the honey of that region was also used against soldiers of the Roman army under Pompey. The Heptakometes left jars of the honey along the roadside as a "tribute" to some of the advancing army. The soldiers who ate the honey lost their senses and were easily defeated by the Heptakometes. The source of this toxic honey in the Middle East is probably Rhondodendron ponticum, although R. luteum could also be a source. A good reference to the toxic honey of this region is Sutlupinar et al. 1993. Poisoning by toxic honey in Turkey, Arch. Toxicol. 67:148-150.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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>I've got this horrible mental block..
well, certainly turkeys have been around as long as man has. :-|
(meleagrine)
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771 |
Thank God I'm not the only smart-ass in the crowd!
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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yes, Dr bill, here is a site that has some info, http://hbd.org/brewery/library/HonD.html, rhodadendrum, and muntain laurel are especially toxic and honey can be too. but that is very different than botullism, (which is a anarobic bacteria, which is harmless, but the bacteria produces a toxin, that is harmful) and mildew, both of which can "infect" the honey. the 'toxic honey' is a problems that comes from the nector used to make the honey.
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Hey, WW, d'jou see the wwftd today?
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
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Yes, AnnaS, I did see tsuwm's sweet reinforcement of that turkey word that makes me think of margarine and then my brain stops working. Anserine, avian, apian, even hircine stick in my head--but that margarine turkey word takes flight everytime I get close to it.
meleagrin? mealeagrin? I tell you one thing. I'm going to write it on my wrist today and use it with my kids at school about a hundred times, and then I dare that mealy-ol' margarine-like avian to fly away from me ever again!
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Joined: Sep 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 6,296 |
I know the information was incorrect. I've been a-googling this evening, and, from all I read about the honeybee, it ain't even close to being the oldest living species on earth, just as I suspected.
How do those placemat writers get away with it?
I can't find out which is the oldest species, but it appears that the crocodile is one of the oldest and definitely predates the honeybee.
There were bees in the Cretaceous period, but not honeybees, which didn't come along for millions upon millions of years later.
Oh, me, oh, my. Next time I see an alluring placemat, I'm going to turn it over and play Hangman or something.
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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oh man, so you mean this isn't the Year of the Rabbit?
sheesh...
formerly known as etaoin...
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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How do those placemat writers get away with it?
They oughta be reported to the National Board of Place Mat Writers. They's certain standards that should oughta be maintained. Was this restaurant selling queen's jelly on the side?
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