The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-09-18
Its Sting Fatal to All but
Native PerSianS.
Death Follows if There is Not
Prompt Medical Aid.
|; Known as The Arga Persica and
as "Bite the Stranger"

Great as is tho Inconvenience which
almost every one suffers form mosquitoes,
il is indeed small com pared TO the risks
which visitors 10 certain towns in Persia
run from an insect but little larger than
the 'skeoter. but sting from which Is
deadly in its results. This little animal
is called by the natives the garrib-gez,
which translated into plain English
means "bitc the stranger il has a
scientific name as well. being, known to
naturalists and entomologists by its Latin
name of 'arga Persica"-Persian bug
Ii is not much like bug in shape,
however. being more like what is COM
monty known rs the wood louise, but
very much smaller. Persian naturalists
say that IT, belongs To the arachnOid or
spider family, althorg1 it is distinguished
from that family by having no division
of the thorax or abdomen. 1t is silyery
gray in color and has eight legs, four on
each side; the legs, when examined under
tho microscope are covered with hairy
processes, which enables tfe insect to get
"a firm and tenacious foothoid. lt Is not
very large, the biggest variety not being
quite e-third of an inch in length. The
most important part OF the insect, how
ever, is tho proboscis. This member is
composed of six joints, the last being
modified into an arched point, very sharp,
and communicating with two poison
glands in the bone of the joint. With
this weapon, the garriD-geZ strikes the
innocent stranger sharply. by the same
movement driving some Of the poison
into the wound. The effect of the poison
varies much, according TO the constitu-
tiOn OF the person stuDg and the size OF
the garrib-gez. A bite from "a big
variety is productive of the very worst
results A small red point like that pro-
ducei by the mosquito is at first seen.
Then follows "a large black spot, which
subsequently, supDurates, accompanied by
high fever, Identical, as far as external
symptoms GO with intermittent fever.
In this it is very much like the tarantula
the only difference. and IL Is significant
one is that the fever produced by tho
sting of this insect, II neglected ends
fatally 1t is accompanied by lasstude.
loss of appetite and shooting pains,
against which the remedies prescribed by
European physicians Lave very little effect.
a large dose of tannin seems TO meet tho
case, however, and this, aided by good
constitution, Is the thing which decides.
Some Austrian officers on n journey to
Ieheran few years ago happened TO ar
rive at "a small town which was infested
by these insects. They were rather in
credulous of the tales told by the guido
and insisted on staying in the town over
night Each OF the seven was bitten, but
as the pain was not great they pursued
their journey steadily. On the third day
the fever reached such PROPORTIONS AS to
cause them To summon medical aid but
it was then too late. All that could be
done was done, but on the seventh day
five had succum bed, and il was six weeks
before the other two had recovered sutii-
ciently TO be able To proceed TO Ieheran.
The curious thing about this insect is
.he fact from which IL derives its name.
Though proving so deadly 10 strangers, 1t
revcr attacks the Inhabitants OF the
place. They will take half u dozen iii
the palms of their hands at one time
and laugh at the fears Of the traveller.
who is well warned by the guide of the
danger which he is running, and ac-
oordingly keeps a!oof as much rs possible.
The fact that the inhabitants OF the
place rarely experience any Inconvenience
from tho stiI.g may account for the belief
which is prevalent in Persia that once n
person has teen stung and reoovers tie
garrib Gcz is harmless against to same
individual henceforth. This fact seems
TO he borne out By travellers as they never
complain OF teing bitten twice.
speaking on tho question To Persian
doctor, the writer was Informed that it
was the custom when any important p9r-
sonage was travelling through any dis
trict infested bv these Persian bugs
to administer. without his knowledge, one
of the bugs concealed in piece OF bread
during the early morning.
It lis kind OF innOCuIation. and the
local physicians believe that the poison.
takon through the stomach Is admin
istered with equally good effects as IL re-
oeiyed directly into the circulation.