Beestings is the first milk drawn from a mammal after it has given birth. Beestings has long been known to be especially rich, and therefore was used often as an ingredient in custards and puddings. It might seem odd that this milk has a special name, but in fact it even has three others: beest, which is obviously a cousin of beestings; colostrum, which is a direct borrowing from Latin; and green milk, which doubtless derives not from the colour of beestings, but from the connotations of vitality and freshness that the word green possesses. Although beestings can refer to the first milk of any mammal, even a human, it is most commonly used to refer to the first milk of a cow. The origin of the word beestings can be traced back to the Old English word bysting, which meant the same thing. Beestings does not appear to be related to the word beast and, needless to say, is not related to bee’s sting.
Injury caused by the venom of a bee, marked by pain and swelling at the site of the bite and often by the presence of a bee stinger, which should be removed. Ice or cold applications relieve pain. Multiple stings or stings to certain parts of the body can cause serious reactions. A single sting can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in a person hypersensitive to bee venom; such persons should carry emergency medical supplies if they expect to be exposed to the possibility of bee stings.
Painful injuries caused when stinging insects inject venom into the skin. Stinging insects include female bees, wasps, and ants. A bee sting begins as a sharp pain lasting a few minutes, after which it becomes a dull ache and is likely to itch. The sting site will become red and swollen as the body flushes venom from the area. Most bee stings in the United States involve honeybees, whose stingers usually remain in the skin after the bee stings. It is important to remove the stinger immediately, because venom continues to enter the skin from the stinger for 45 to 60 seconds after the sting. If removed within 15 seconds of the sting, the severity of the reaction is reduced.
The initial lacteal secretion produced by a bovine mammal subsequent to parturition.
The term “colostrum” refers to the first milk produced by a mammal, including cows, in the days immediately following the birth of their offspring. Colostrum is thicker and more concentrated than regular milk and is rich in antibodies and nutrients that are important for the newborn’s growth and immune system.