Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-04-24
vENoMoUs SPIDERS.
Interesting Investigations Made by
Government EntomoIooist

Interesting Investigations Made by the
Government EntOmologist.
According to the Washington correspond
emit OF the St Louis Globe Democrat, Prof.
y. v, Riley, the Government Entomologist,
has been investigating the poisonous power
OF the common large brown spider En-
tomologically this spider is known as the
Latrodectus mactans The case of which
the professor has made special study oc-
CURED near Greensboro, N. G. Colonel
Thomas b Keogh, well-known resident of
that State, sent on the spider which did the
biting, and the statement Of the case is fur
nished by Mr.. John M. Dick in reply to Prof.
hdlsy's categorical inquiries. Mr.. Dick re-
ports as follows:
81. No one was with the man when he
was bitten. All we knowis his own state
ment. He said he felt something crawling
on his neck; as he brushed it off it stung or
bit him very severely. As the pain was
very great, he looked to see what had
caused it, He described the insect as a
black spider with red spot on it.
~. He was bitten about half past eight
O'Clock a. IA. and died between ten and
eleven O'Clock p. ~, about fourteen hours
Intervening
SO. examined his neck and found about
ten little white pimples, all Of which could
be covered with one-dollar silver coin.
saw no puncture of any kind.
a. There was no swelling at all, but his
neck and left breast and arm became hard,
so much so that ] could not make an i'm
preston in the flesh with nv thumb.
50. The man had been living with me for
nine years and was perfectly healthy.
80. he could handle poison oak or ivy with
impunity
q. He was bitten on the 10Th of October,
1887. He was hauling wood at the time. 1t
was damp, cold morning and he could not
nave been overheated. As soon as the SEN
sation OF pain had passed of the man felt no
further inconvenience till toward the middle
OF the day. Gle described the pain from
the sting as somewhat similar to the sting of
wasp About II 80 o'clock he came to the
mouse and told me that he had been bitten
by spider. I treated the matter lightly,
Thinking ne would have been dead by that
time If it was going to hurt him at all, but
ne complained of pains running through his
whole body. Finally he went to town (only
one mile dlstant), saying he was going to
get whisky. About one O'Clock he came
home; said he felt no better; said the pain
had settled in his bowels. In short while
ne commenced 20 have spasms. (He told me
ne mad only bought five cents worth OF corn
Wnlsky3 When the spasm came on was
greatly frightened. As knew Of no rem
edy but whisky gave it to him. In all I
gave hIm three half pints. He seemed re-
heved OF pain about three O'Clock and did
some work about the barn About four
O'Clock the pains came on again and the
spasms with them. He had only two spasms.
he never recovered from the second one.
but remained in state of unconscious ness
4 TIL his death.
~ pave another man working for me
who was bitten by one Of The spiders about
three years ago. showed him the spider
which Colonel Keogh forwarded to yeu, and
ne recognized II al once as being exactly
/ like thaone which had bitten him. As this
mans experience Nth a spider bite is
rather peculiar, will give it TO Won az ma
mas told me. He was at work in a corn
neld about the middle of June, It was the
afternoon OF the day. He went to spring
near by for drink OF water While rest
ing moment at the spring the spider bit
him on the ankle. he spit tobacco iuice on
4 the sting and soon felt no pam. he de-
scribes the pain from the sting as more like
brier seratch.l He resumed the work
but IN an hour or so felt sudden shock az
! pam run through his whole body. AZ f,ne
shock would pass on another would come On
He unhitched his horse and ATTEMPTED to
ride home but soon fell on the horse II, An
UNCONSCIOUS condition HIS employer fo,lnd
him BY the roadside and had him taken
bono. Tpis gentleman has sinca told me-
| the negro seemed perfectly crazy. He told
! what bad bitten him between suasnns rf
pam The only reWedY be knew Of was