I dont think (and hope) that you expect me to answer some of these difficult questions that you pose. I can just share my “opinion” on this. And for me it is very clear that it is not for us to decide whether to “…give(ing) them medical care and education” or not. That is not a choice for us (you, me or the State) to make. The day we organise ourselves into a society and choose to adopt a democracy, we have taken away such choices from the moral/ethical dimension and placed it squarely under an “state obligation” dimension.

Regarding the potential for local traditional remedies and the corrupt influence of modern medicine and education, I am in agreement with you, but that does not mean that we consciously deprive them of these possibilities.

From what I know (and read), the most stings are recorded by the Indian red scorpion; perhaps because of its shared habitat with humans. Most of the others, although dangerous looking are much less lethal (although all are venomous to varying extent). That said, scorpion antisera are supposedly species-specific. Hardly anything is documented about the symptoms after particular species of scorpion stings. Most (?all) Indian scorpion sting literature is on Mesobuthus tamulus. The antivenom available is also for this species. “AScVS is lyophilized monovalent enzyme refined immunoglobulins specific for the scorpion Mesobuthus tamulus concanesis Pocock. 1 ml. of AScVS neutralizes 1 mg. of dried scorpion venom. Usual mode of AScVS administration is either by i.v. or i.m route.” (In quotes is from JAPI article – http://www.japi.org/april2006/O-283.pdf).

In any case, what we do know is that although in vitro, the antivenom neutralises the venom (done in frogs and rats), in reality, considering the time taken for transport and shock etc, there is no evidence that it works – see this review of 69 studies which shows no benefit. (BMJ – http://emj.bmj.com/content/22/3/195.1.full). On the other hand, the drug Prazosin (as explained above) has clear benefit. I feel this may be the case for all scorpion stings, given present evidence.