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SIX PBtSOMS STUNG BY MARINE
OBJECTS AT WEEK-END
Dr. Fledier Appeals to PuMk kv
Try and Gel Specimens
The well-known naturalist, Dr. H. Flecker, j
I yesterday called for an intensification of pub-
lic interest in an attempt to collect specimens
I of a marine creature which has caused serious
stings on Cairns beaches in recent years.
His appeal .followed the stinging of a man,
I two boys and two girls at Yorkey's Knob on
Saturday and one man at Palm Beach yester
I day. Each of the victims suffered severe pain
from the stings and were forced to spend sev
I eral hours in hospital.
Although no fatality has resulted as yet,
j the pain causes collapse in the more serious
cases. The cause has not been isolated but the
I sting has been named lrukandji, after an
i aboriginal tribe winch originally inhabited the
area between Trinity Inlet and the Mowbray
River.
Dr. Flecker saM the best
way In which the aaMfe ana
beach officials esaM assist was
in the eeuectkm mt specimens
(allawing a sting attack.
He added that a more positive
interest could result in a valuable
contribution to bis work.
. Citing a case of a fatality
caused by a jellyfish sting at
Townsville last year, he declar-
ed that the jellyfish, although
seen by several swimmers, had
been allowed ' to escape. This
¡type of sting was In no way simi-
lar to the ones experienced on
Cairns beaches, bot Hie captura
of the fish would have assisted
in research towards an antidote.
An ambulance bearer yester-
day described the effects of the
Irukandji sting as being severe
pains in the abdomen, legs and
anns. He said that his exper-
ience had shown the pam be-
came more intense after the
person had left the water.
However Dr. Flecker stated
that the sting was not liable to
cause death of the victim. He
emphasised that the fish re-
sponsible was in no way associat-
ed with the Pbysalia, more com-
monly known as thc Portuguese
man o' war or the bluebottle.
¡Its identification was retarded
by the fact that it bad not been
¡reported in any other part of
¡the world.
IN SHALLOW WATER
The belief that the creature
originates from the coral reefs
was dispelled by Dr. Flecker, who
said that no connection bad been
found to substantiate this. Vic-
tims had been stung in clear
water and during rough weather.
The only disttagtâsning feature
to date was that all were stung
in shallow water, he said.
The fish first appears during
November and remains active
'until the end of January, mainly
around the Cairns area. An act-
ive interest by swimmers and
lifesavers during this period may
help solve the identity problem
and result in measures capable
of combating the effect of the
sting.
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