The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-08-03


All who go TO the country In SUM
mer. and especially all campers-out.
are more or less liable to be stung by
insects II Is we'll. therefore, forevery
household and camp to have at hand
two or three simple remedies and pre-
ventivcs. as much pain may be saved
by their instant application.
There Ii a widespread impression
that. OF the insects which we are most
likely TO meet In summer. spiders are
most TO be dreaded. Entomologists
tell us. however. that In this country
but one species Of spider ntrodectus
mactans--has been proved TO be capable
OF infiicting dangerous bite; and of
the many reports Of severe injury or
even death from spidcr-bites. every
one that has been investigated has
proved to be grossly exaggerated. II
not absolutely false
The genus Latrodectus has represents
ntives everywhere, but they are not
likely to give trouble unless they have
an opportunity to sting where the skin
Is very thin; upon the lip. for instance.
Even under these circumstances the
tttV W III AVt 10 lAlAt nt uEHEt0 VI
pain experienced will de pend largely
upon the state of health. Infants and
delicate persons may suffer severely;
robust and hardy people will generally
escape more easily.
The spiders of the genus Latrodectus
are not, as might be expected, among
the largest of our spiders. Their alb
domen is about the size of a pea glossy
black, and sometimes with red spot
on the under side. They live general
ly under logs or boards out-of-doors,
and are but occasionally found in
houses.
When stung by spider try to catch
the offender and send IL TO an ento-
mologist for Identification. Do not be
alarmed because OF the sting, but never
theless, II physician is within reach,
send for him. He will probably pre-
scribe stimulant, and IL the pain Is
severe and increasing, hypodermic
injection OF morphia. The cases where
this is necessary are, however rare.
Above all, do not be alarmed.
Bees and wasps are far more numer-
Gus than singing spiders. and there
fore are more TO be dreaded, especially
as many persons are extremely sus-
ceptible TO the stings of these insects.
Especially TO be dreaded is the sting
OF the large digger wasp, Sphecius spe-
ciosus, which is often seen during July
flying along with cicada in Its
clutches. This wasp is fully an inch
long, black, with yellow bands across
the abdomen, and Is ferocious to the
last degree when interfered with. Its
sting Is extremely painful.
The poison injected by bees and
wasps is acid in character, and an al
lSaline remedy is to. be applied. Com
mon household ammonia Is good; and
ordinary cooking soda, moistened and
applied TO the sting. is even better. as
one application lasts longer Ann
monia Is also commonly and effective
ly used to alleviate the pain of mos
quito-stings.
In the south and southwest ''jiggers"
are n source of considerable annoy
ance. When walking through low
growing vegetation of any kind, one is
tolerably sure TO brush off some Of
these irritating little creatures. Here
prevention is better than curej before
leaving home for your walk. rub your
self with some aromatic oil--oil of
Gloves Is good-and you will not be
troubled. Kerosene has been used for
this purpose, in an emergency when
nothing else was available, but most
people would prefer the jiggers.
The ;!ggers get npen yons how
ever. the first thing to do is TO refrain
from scratching. Scratching kills the
jggers. but their heads remain in the
skin and. aided by the scratching,
make disagreeable little sores. There
fore do not scratch IL you can possibly
help 1t; rather rub in some vaseiine or
sweet oil, or the oil OF cloves above
mentioned. Sweet oil Is perhaps the
best, as IL not only kills the jiggers
but allays the irritation.
Centipedes or "thousand-legs" share
with spiders the reputation of being
dangerous. AS matter of fact, all
the centipedcs of the northern and
eastern United States are perfectly
harmless. and as those which live In
our houses destroy coclxroaches and
flies. they may even be considered
beneficial Some OF the tropical cent?
pedes are poisonous, and these are oc-
casionally, though rarely, brought
north in punches OF bananas; but no
case of death from the sting Of even
these tropical species is automatically
reported.
With oil of cloves, sweet oil, vase
line and common soda or ammonia,
therefore, one is tolerably we'll forth
fed against the stings of summer in
sects. In the rare cases where n spider
OF the genus Latrodectus succeeds in
stinging. IL is wiser to send for ply
stefan; not TO save the patients life.
which is in no danger. but in order
that suffering may be relieved. IL nee
essary. by q hypodermic injection of
morphia. Youths Companion.