Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-12-07
From Harpsr's Monthly Magazine.
The Centipede.

! ty of the Arkansas and Red Rivers In Texas
they are somewhat abundant, reaching abou
four inches in length, and proving an immens'
annoyance to the settlers. The utmost vigilance
is required where they abound, even In the mos
cleanly houses, to- prevent them from finding
their way into beds or clothing, to which they
seem to be attracted for comfortable lodgment
and surrounding warmth. Upon the appearance
of light, If in an exposed situation, they at.
tempt to make their escape, and run off with
great rapidity, but if interrupted, they instantly
stand on the defensive, biting severely upon the
slightest provocation. This hostile disposition
renders them very dangerous when once they
have taken possession of bed, for the slightest
movement of its occupant, over which they may
be crawling, and who cannot fail to be disturbed
by their claws, insures venemous bite, which
will be rapidly repeated if the enraged insect is
not quickly destroyed. The bite is exceedingly
painful, and is made additionally 90 by the at
tending inflammation caused by the puEctures
of the claws An irritable fever follows, &C.
companied by delirium, and if the patient is OF
an excitable habit, amputation or excision of the
bitten part becomes necessary, or death ensues.
Persons accustomed to the centipede lessen the
danger by an immediate application of the cup
ping glass, or by pressing the barrel of large
key forcibly over the wounds, which seems to
press out the poison, and suspend the activity of
the surrounding circulation the application of
ammonia, and frequent doses of it mixed with
brandy, also act as powerful antidotes.
The centipede is hatched from an egg and
comes forth perfectly formed insect; and what
is most remarkable, the young is the subject of
great care on the part OF the maternal parent,
being fostered by her long after they are able
to take care of themselves. When first ushered
into being they have but six legs, their addition
al feet, as well rs the rings to which they are
attached, becoming developed as they advance
in age; one ring and one pair of feet marking
the passage of year. The centipede lives lon.
ger, and continues to increase in strength more
than any other insect; it survives through many
generations. This fact, and its peculiar organi'
zation, makes the centipede remarkable among
all the varied races of insect life.
The centipede not only exists upon vegetable
juices, but as it increases in strength it depends
mainly upon crickets, reaches and beetles for
subsistence, and it is in search of these CON-
paratively harmless creatures that bring 1t into
the habtation of man, where they are some.
times absolutely welcomed in order to extirpate
the accumulated verlnin. The presence of the
centipede is known by the confusion it creates
among the different insects in its vicinity, for,
they will be seen in a state OF
great disorder the beetles will retreat to their
holes, the crickets will stop chirruppng, and the
reaches, which grow very large in tropical cli-
mates, losing all control over their action, will
fly madly against the walls, and then falling on
the floor, become an easy prey to the centipede,
which deXterously rips open the body OF the
roach, devours the interior, and moves on in
search of another victim.
The accumulatons of vermin iu tropical coun.
tries, in the course of every three or four years.
becomes so great about the houses of the inhab-
itants, that point arrives when the plague can
no longer be borne The walls of the adobe
buildings seem to be absolutely alive with creep
ing things. Scorpions, centipedes, mice, spiders,
snakes, in ten thousand nameless but annoying
forms of insect life, TEEN up from the floors, ar
bors and gardens. The raising an article oil
dress, the hasty seizure of q drinking cup, the
picking up of a chip, any simple act of lite, in
fact, that brings humanity in contact with the
things around it, will possibly arouse some hid.
den away insect, whose poisonous fangs Will the
next instant be in the intruder's flesh. Life be-
comes unbesrable; the plaques of Egypt are up.
on the land. Suddenly it is announced that q
little black ant has made its appearance; gen;
eral exclamation of Joy ensues The advanced
guard oil the invincibe "driver" promises the
approach of the grand army. The habitations
are deserted by their human inmates, and the
little ants in countless numbers cover the local.
ity. Now cen be witnessed the futtering OF the
roaches-can be heard the speaking of the mice
and rats (; the serpents come coiiing in death.
agony from their holes; 'every creeping thing"
in the vicinity is undergoing martyrdom. There
is no chance of escape. The ants are every
whore, between the ceilings, in the walls over
the roof beneath the floors, not nook or crew
ice escapes them, not hole or corner is over
looked In few hours the gratefal labor OF ex.
termination is completed; commencing their
workiat night, before the morning dawns they
have taken their departure, leaving behind moth
ing but the wrecks of their victims.
The "deadly" centipede of Jamaica, st. Do
rningo-so named from the almost certain death
that follows their bite-seldom exceeds five
inches in length. If the theory be true, that
the centipede obtains one ring and one pair OF
feet each year, the remarkable specimen before
us was eighteen years old. When first discov-
cred it was in an attitude of defiance and being
worried by dog child then aided in the as
sault was mortally wounded, o native then came
to the rescue, and succeeded in capturing it, but
not until his arm was poisoned to such an extent
as afterward to demand amputation.
In the examination Of the poisonous machin-
ery of insects and reptiles, it is apparent that
the destructive principle is the same in all and
that the fang in all possesses hollow through
which the poison flows into the wound the mo-
ment the incision is made. The sting OF scor'
pion is precisely like the fang of the rattesnake,
and performs its deadly work On the same me-
chanical principles. From the slow progress OF
the science of entomology, it is yet to be dis
covered what are the complete uses OF insects
(more particularly the poisonous ones) In the e.
conomv of nature. From what is known, how
ever on certain races, it is best natural Infer
ence that in the creation Of all these are to be
found demonstrative proofs of Divine wisdom
md beneficenee. But for the myriads OF insect
workers which perform their part in tropical
climates, feeding upon decaying vegetables and
animal matter, the atmosphere would soon be-
come so loaded with noxious vapors as to rem
der the preservation of the human race impos'
sible. As we become more and more acquaint'
ed with the secret workings of nature, we are
gradually led to the conclusion, that even the
deadly centipede is not made in vain that II
mnst have its useful purposes, and performs
merciful mission in its allotted part in the crea
tion that nothing exists in fact but what is ad
mirable: there being no room for critical cen
sure no true emotion but spontaneous praise.
How TO MAKE GIRL IRREsIsTBLY HANDSOME
in Cincinnati, the other day, woman nance
Madame Bertha Van Griefechinn was arreste'
for false pretences. The complainant was 90
mestic, named Barbara Hammond. 1t appear
that Madame advertised for sale, at ", recP
which if faithfully followed up, would max
the homelest the handsomest." The recipe rum
as follows: Ill, .
"Take half o gill of hyena's blood, the yolkS Q
two ostrich eggs, an ounce OF gold dGsl, =; snu