According to Nationalgeographic.com, Ancient Greek dentists used the venom from the stingray's spine as an anesthetic.
Stingrays are commonly found in the shallow coastal waters of temperate seas. They spend the majority of their time inactive, partially buried in sand, often moving only with the sway of the tide.
In some states catching a stingray is not illegal. But it is not recommended as it can be fatal to humans. The venom from its underside can remain deadly even after the stingray's death.
The sting is a result of a neuro-toxin membrane that coats the barb on the sting rays tail. It's not necessarily the wound that hurts, but more the poison that enters into your blood stream.
Check out the things that you need to do if you're stung by a stingray at Surfline.com.