Jack Barnes (toxinologist)

John Handyside (Jack) Barnes MBE (1922–1985) was a physician and toxinologist in Queensland, Australia. Born in Charleville he is known for his research on the box jellyfish.

In 1961, Barnes confirmed the cause of the Irukandji syndrome was a sting from a small box jellyfish: the Irukandji jellyfish, which can fire venom-filled stingers out of its body and into passing victims. To prove that the jellyfish was the cause of the syndrome, he captured one and deliberately stung himself, his 9-year-old son and a local lifeguard, then observed the resulting symptoms.[1][2] Other cubozoans possibly can cause Irukandji syndrome;[3] those positively identified include Carukia barnesi, Alatina mordens, Alatina alata, Malo maxima, Malo kingi, Carybdea xaymacana, Keesingia gigas, an as-yet unnamed "fire jelly", and another unnamed species.[4][5][6]

He determined that the use of methylated spririts applied to the area of an Irukandji sting would prevent any tentacles remaining on the skin from inflicting further stings, whereas rubbing to remove the tentacles would cause further stings with the risk of an even more severe reaction.[7] However, vinegar is now the preferred first-response method of treating such stings and many at-risk beaches have a bottle of vinegar available for this purpose.[8][9]

He also established that the Irukandji toxin would not discharge on a synthetic surface and so wore pantyhose when collecting specimens, a practice now adopted by lifesavers at risk of jellyfish stings.[10][11]

  1. ^ Barnes J (1964). "Cause and effect in Irukandji stingings". Med J Aust. 1 (24): 897–904. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.1964.tb114424.x. PMID 14172390.
  2. ^ Baker, Joe. "Barnes, John Handyside (Jack) (1922–1985)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  3. ^ Grady J, Burnett J (2003). "Irukandji-like syndrome in South Florida divers". Ann Emerg Med. 42 (6): 763–66. doi:10.1016/S0196-0644(03)00513-4. PMID 14634600.
  4. ^ Little M; P. Pereira; T. Carrette; J. Seymour (2006). "Jellyfish Responsible for Irukandji Syndrome". Q J Med. 99 (6): 425–27. doi:10.1093/qjmed/hcl057. PMID 16687419.
  5. ^ Little M, J. Seymour (2003). "Another cause of "Irukandji stingings"". Med J Aust. 179 (11–12): 654. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2003.tb05738.x. PMID 14636148. S2CID 27049446.
  6. ^ "New jellyfish discovered: giant venomous species found off Australia". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 8 August 2014. Archived from the original on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  7. ^ "SPIRITS BEST ON SEA STINGS". The Canberra Times. Vol. 39, no. 11, 176. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 8 June 1965. p. 9. Retrieved 26 January 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) today reinforced that the use of vinegar is best practice in the treatment of potentially fatal tropical marine stinger envenomation (stings) including inrukandji and box jellyfish". Surf Life Saving Australia. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Jellyfish Safety & Information". Cairns & Great Barrier Reef. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  10. ^ Baker, Joe. "Barnes, John Handyside (Jack) (1922–1985)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  11. ^ "Pantyhose for the lifesavers". The Canberra Times. Vol. 47, no. 13, 317. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 28 December 1972. p. 2. Retrieved 21 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.