The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-04
Spray Used at Saltair Acts
Upon Insects Like Alcohol
on Men.
STUFF EXHILARATES LIKE
AN INTOXICANT DOES
Professor Pack of State Uniyer-
sity Says Mouth of Spider /,
Operates Like Snake.

''Thc spider pest at saltair is some
thing awful" said a prominent Salt
Laker to The Tribune on Wednesday,
and / am not sure but what some action
Is necessary by tho health department.
he continued II went TO Saltalr this
weok and / nm frank TO admit that
was prejudlced when j went there, for
! believed that The Tribune had eXag-
gerated conditions, But you have not
NO ono can describe conditions. In so
far as the pest is concerned. There arc
spiders everywhere. and not only are they
ON the pavilion and elsewhere at the re-
sort, but they have taken possession OF
the trains. SO that when in the rattle
trap cars one Is not surprised II spider
drops down upon them. 1t Is serious
day. and the astonishing feature to me
Is that some one has not died from the
poisonous bite OF these insects
Another gentleman who, with his fam
fly, had paid a visit TO the resort WAS
equally positive In his statements. lie
feared for his children when on the pa
vllion and only remained between trains.
What Scientist Says.
Professor Fred j. Pack OF the UNI
verslty OF Utah has made several trips to
Saltair beach and has studied the habits
OF the spider pest with view OF seeing
II tho insects could be exterminatcd. In
Professor Pack said that while the
spiders are poisonous they are not dhn-
gerous to men. Continuing he said;
Much depends upon the person %ho Is
bitten. Some persons are susceptible 10
poison very much more than other per-
sons, As IL consequence the bite OF the
spiders might have a very serious effect
on one person and not affect another so
seriously.
THE biting parts of the spiders which
I found at Saltair. and OF which ] made
microscopic eNaminati tions, are somewhat
like those OF the rattlesnalse. The mouth
operates somewhat like that Of the snake,
but the outer portion OF the mouth con-
tains two nippers, very much like those
OF the common crab. AT the base OF these
nippcrs or fangs are situated the poison
glands, the contents OF which are thrust
into the wound made by the Insect when
1t bites n the person Is easily suscep-
tIble 10 poison the results may be ser1-
Gus.
carried to the resort In the lumber or
which the pavilion was made. Thft
have hatched year by year until THIS
year when they have come out IN IN iull
which should be fairly easy to extermi-
nate"
Off the insects IS sure or the resort is
doomed One prominent citizen of Salt
Lake said to The Tribune on Wednes-
day
Spray Acts Like Intoxicant.
II have studied ethnolosy and am firm
in the belief that the spiders at Saltair
can be eradicated and that. too. without
q great deal of cost, but it cannot be
done with the spray that Is now being
used l asked the management of the
resort where they got their recipe for 4
spray from, and when l was told that X
came from mlneralogist and metal
lurgist. as well as "a high authority In
the church. whose articles of faith ara
taken standard. / could not help
but laugh. This gentleman may be away
UP in G in his faith and In his idea OF
saving souls. but as Il writer of preScrip-
tions which Will kill spiders he Is no
good.
while l was ut Satair ] asked The
management OF the resort whether they
had ever tested their remedy: that is
their spray, by putting the spiders in the
solution. They said no. Then we got
half gallon of the mixture, caught ri
number OF spiders and threw them In IT, !
The insects at once sucked up the solu-
ton and appeared TO take to it like
human being does to alcohol. In that It's
effect upon the insects was exhilarating.
The next day the insects which had been
thrown in the solution were as lively rs
ever,
Are Menace to Visitors.
But, regardless, the spiders at Saltalr
are menace and something drastic
should be applied at once particularly
upon the cars. where the insects have
begun to make homes and spin their
webs,