| The Portuguese
Man-Of-War is a jelly-like marine animal that looks like a fragile
blue bubble. These sea creatures are infamous for their very painful,
powerful sting and very common in the tropical and subtropical regions
of the Pacific and Indian oceans, and the northern Atlantic Gulf Stream
which are the waters just off the island paradise of Key Biscayne.
It is sometimes found floating, and often found washed ashore, normally
in the winter months and when the winds are blowing onshore.
Some of the tentacles of the Portuguese Man-Of-War bear stinging nematocystic (coiled thread-like) structures that paralyze small fish and other prey. The sting of the Portuguese Man-Of-War is very painful to man and can cause serious effects, including fever, shock, and interference with heart and lung action. Pick off any visible tentacles. Rinse with fresh or salt water. Apply ice for pain. IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION MAY BE REQUIRED as their stinging may bring about shock. The toxin secreted from the tentacles of the Portuguese Man-Of-War are about seventy-five percent as powerful as cobra venom. The most common result of contact with the Portuguese Man-Of-War are the residual whip-like, red wavy, stringy welts on the skin from contact with the blue tentacle. The lesions can last for minutes to hours. Portuguese Man-Of-War are not always obvious in the water. Tentacles may break away in the surf and inflict stings just as potent as those from attached tentacles. Even dead specimens stranded on the beach can still cause stings. Do not touch these animals with bare skin and do not enter the water if they are present. Guarded beaches on Key Biscayne
are posted with special signs by lifeguards when there are Portuguese Man-Of-War
present in the Atlantic ocean. Observe these signs, stay out of the water
to avoid being stung - a very painful experience.
No studies support applying heat to Portuguese man-of-war stings. Studies on the effectiveness of meat tenderizer, baking soda, papain, or commercial sprays (containing aluminum sulfate and detergents) on nematocyst stings have been contradictory. It's possible these substances cause further damage. In one U.S. Portuguese man-of-war fatality, lifeguards sprayed papain solution immediately on the victim's sting. Within minutes, the woman was comatose, and later died. Alcohol and human urine may be harmful on Portuguese man-of-war stings. An Australian study reports that both alcohol and urine caused massive nematocyst discharge in the box jellyfish, Chironex fleckeri. Most Portuguese man-of-war stings disappear by themselves, sometimes within 15 or 20 minutes. Because of this, even harmful therapies often appear to work. A key concept in the first aid of any injury is: Do no harm. Therefore, avoid applying unproven, possibly harmful substances on stings. REFERENCES:
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The
man-of-war's body consists of a gas-filled, bladder-like float (a polyp,
called the pneumatophore) - a translucent structure tinted pink, blue,
or violet - which may be 3 to 12 inches (9 to 30 centimeters) long and
may extend as much as 6 inches (15 centimeters) above the water. Beneath
the float are clusters of polyps, from which hang tentacles of up to 165
feet (about 50 meters) in length. The "animal" moves by means of
its crest, (pictured here tinted pink) which functions as a sail.
