El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-24
RENE BACHES BUDGET
PO|sONs CARRIED BY INSECTS
NEW BRANCH OF KNOWLEDGE OPENED UP TO
THE SCIENTIST
Interesting Chemic Compounds Which May Possibly
Prove Useful to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Poison
Yet Not Analyzed-How the Bee Makes It's
Venom-Spiders Centipedes and Sting
ing Ants.

looking spiders commonly known as
"tarantulas," which commonly dwell IN
silk-lined nests with trapdoors, are COM
paratively harmless.
Tomato Worm Harmless,
There are many mistaken popular no.
lions in regard to such matters. For in
stance, the common tomato worm,
very large greenish caterpillar, is sup
posed to be fatally poisonous, whereas
no animal is more innocent. The old
story that centipedes emit venom from
the tips of their sharp claws, and leave
a trail like fire when they walk over
the skin of a human being, is entirely
without basis In fact. Certain tropical
.ceDtipedes, however, do have poison
are TO be avoided. Generally speaking,
the sting of the scorpion is no more
dangerous than that of bee-although
in Mexico. in the state of Durango, there
Is a species of scorpion that Is regarded
by the natives as extremely deadly;
with how much reason cannot be ascer-
tanned. 1t is of moderate size, pallid in
color, and most often found under stones.
The Centipede.
Some of the tropical scorpions are as
much as eight inches in length, and have
powerful claws ike those of crab. The
venom, which in so large an animal may
be considerable in quantity, is contained
IN gland near the end of the tail, which
terminates IN sharp, horny point. On
the other hand, the centipede has its
poison glands at the base of its Jaws
There are certain centipedes in hot
ATTITUDES that grow to be a foot long
most unpleasant creatures to come
across, especially when one is putting
on ones boots. 1t is surmised that the
common household "centipede," which is
not properly SO called, being merely a
myTlanOd IS venomous, inasmuch as
its bite-and IT will bite if cornered-
causes swelling and pain.
In further reference to spiders, 1t
should be explained that in their case the
poison sac there is one on each side of
the mouth) is at the root of tooth.
Oddly enough. the arrangement is much !
like that found in the rattlesnake, the !
tooth being hollow and the venoW con-
Teyed through. it into the. wound As I
already implied, the very large species |
OF spiders, some of which attain a weight /
OF three quarters of q pound, secrete |
very little poison
The Green Headed Flies.
When one visits the seashore. one is
liable to suffer more or less from the /
bites OF certain large green headed flies. ,
They have powerful jaws, and are able I
literally to take small pieces out of ones i
flesh. This is painful but there is no
subsequent irritation worth mentioning.
because these insects have no venom
glands. All of the biting flies. however,
seem to be carriers of diseases. and II 1
is now known that they are largely ac.
eounta'ble for the insalubrity of MANY i
tropical countries-the worst of them,
OF course, being the dreaded 'stsetse.''
whlch IS spreading the sleeping sickness
IN AIIlca at such a rate as to threaten
literally to depopulate the Dark Con-
tinent
But TO return to the venomoals snsects
Inc bedbug is undoubtedly to be thus
cfassfled. although its poison -nakino
appartus has not vet been studied ont
IL deserves more attention. beiuo an ar-
traordInarily intelligent animal-wbicb
Is one reason why IL is difficult 10 deal
wl5n. There is no question that II in
haoiIed the dwellings of the ancient
peonies OF ASA. and the early Romans
were we'll acquainted with it. It's ne
euiiar and offensive odor comes from,
liquid. '0i''iie
Last but not least important AMONG
Che Venomous insects are certain sDecieS
OF ants Some of these. found in fba
tropics, are among the most ferocious of
lvlng creatures-for example the "rob-
per ants, which, without any permanent
-o' are eoH0lnualfy on the march in
ssIeat armies. II man has the mis-
fortune to get in their way. tbev will
ing. 'D sung
Such singing ants, which are of MANY
species IN hot latitudes, are double
anders, biting with their laws and sting-
NC with their tails s1nultaneousIv
almost every tree. contains their nests.
and IN Mexico the poor poems who climb
Eor nesting parrots sometimes lose their
Ives, beng SO assailed that thew fall to
IDLY the ant poisons are very powerful
md IT would be most interesting to
Know their chemical composition. Bnt
low that an entrance has been made
mo TINS new field Of chemical research,
'xact information on the subject Is snre
o accumulate-infornla which seems 4
likely to be of important usefulness TO
mankind ~
Rene Bache.