Dim str As String = "Database=testdb_steve ;Data Source=1.2.3.4 ;User" & _
          "Id=XXX; Password=YYY; oldsyntax=true"
        Dim cn As New MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlConnection(str)
        Dim cmd As New MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlCommand("INSERT INTO" & _
          "`testtbl` (`blobfld`) VALUES (@blobfld)", cn)
        Dim fs As System.IO.FileStream = New System.IO.FileStream( _
        "C:\temp\hello_world.txt", IO.FileMode.Open, IO.FileShare.Read)
        Dim br As System.IO.BinaryReader = New System.IO.BinaryReader(fs)
        Dim bytes() As Byte = br.ReadBytes(fs.Length)
        br.Close() : fs.Close()
        Try
            cn.Open()
            cmd.Parameters.Add("@blobfld", bytes)
            cmd.ExecuteNonQuery()
            cn.Close()
        Catch ex As Exception
            Debug.WriteLine(ex.ToString)
        End Try