Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1911-03-23

ne poison or cObraS and copper
heads is known to be deadly enough
to fill the popular mind with horror,
though the horror is somewhat miti-
gated by the remoteness of the dan
ger from the common walks of life.
But now we are given to understand
that this danger is mere moonshine in
comparison with a greater one that
may be said to find a place in every
home.
so far as is known, its poison is
the most virulent and powerful, drop
for drop, .secreted by any living crea-
ture." This is the language of liv-
ing naturalist. Mr.. Samuel Hopkins
Adams, who is speaking Of a common
domestic spider found all over the
United States. lurking around every
woodpile and clubhouse. 1t varies in
size from that of a large pea to max
imum of half an inch in length, black
In It's body, bearing ever red spot
upon it's back. a most useful danger
signal.
Cobra virus, in the minute quantity
which the Latrodectus' glands con-
TAIN remarks the same writer,
would probably have no appreciable
1 effect upon man, whereas the tiny spi-
| der's venom, in the volume injected by
the cobra's stroke. would Stay herd
of elephants. Happily, the red
spots fangs being small and weak,
can with difficulty penetrate the skin,
and are able to inject venom in dan
gerous quantity only when the bite is
Inflicted upon some tender-skinned por-
ton of the body. Nevertheless fatal
ties consequent upon the bite of this
insect suffi ciently we'll attested to
take rank as established scientific
facts"
q fa nraanQ
so Mr.. Adams tells us, negro, in
hauling f1rewood, brushed at something
crawling upon his neck and felt a
sharp, singing sensation. 1t was the
black spider with the red spot. This
was at $50 a. M, and before IL at
night the man was dead. There was
no swelling and no visible puncture,
only small white pimples appeared
about the bitten spot. The smarting
soon passed, but in three hours violent
cramps were experienced. At one
o'clock the man had spasms, but two
hours later he returned to his work
laboring for an hour. Then there was
another spasm, followed by a state OF
coma, which lasted till death ensued
One singular feature was that the left
arm. left breast and the neck ap
peared to turn to stone, they were sc
hard.
Cases nave been m1nutely observed
and reported by Dr. Corson of Savan
nah, Ga, DR.. Bickford and Mr.. Ball OF
California. The last of these de
scribes his own experience in convul
sions, following quickly upon the bite
of the red spot" saying: The pains
In my hip joints, chest and thighs
grew rapidly more violent, until Il
seemed that the bones In these parts
, Of my body were being crushed tC
fragments" Hts illness lasted ter
days, but he recovered.
/ Here we have peril much greater
than from rattlers and puff adders-s
| menace to public safety, now guarded
l against by all intelligent nations
where 1t exists. save only our own
Let every woodchopper and ever,
housewife take warning.
All other American spiders, the au
! thorities declare. constitute only
( trif1ing hazard and need not be seri
ously considered; but beware of tn,
] black body bearing the red spot"
3 Cases of poisoning by this creatur,
are by no means rare. The compare
tive immunity thus far enjoyed by thu
( public is probably due to the fact tina
z spiders, as a rule, never attack human
beings unless molested, and then al
ways In self-defense.