John Handyside (Jack) Barnes MBE (1922–1985) was a physician and toxinologist in Queensland, Australia.
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.
[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.