The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-02-05
SCORPION STINCS,
They Kill Thousands of Persons
Yearly In Mexico.
QUICK WORK OF THE POISON.
Tho Venom of the Deadly Species, Un.
less Prompt Treatment Follows the
Bite, VIII End the Life of the Victim
In Twelve or Fourteen Hours.

less Prompt Treatment Follows the
Bite, VIII End the Life of the Victim
In Twelve or Fourteen Hours.
-Four thousand persons are reported
to die each year in Mexico from the
stings of scorpions.
There are several varieties Of scor-
pions in Mexico. some Of them exceed
hgly venomous and others little feared
In the neighborhood Of Tepic the viru-
lent Centuris gracilis abounds, but it
Is little known about the more north
ern state of Sonora. 1t is one Of the
most venomous creatures in the world.
In the small city of Durango scor-
pions are perhaps more plentiful and
more dangerous than anywhere else in
the republic. Here the climate is hu-
mid and torrid-it is in the "tierra
caliente'-and it is estimated that more
than 10000 scorpions are killed each
year, with no appreciable effect on
their numbers.
A scorpion resembles a diminutive
lobster. Some specimens are eight
is from two to four inches. The claws
closely resemble a lobster's; with them
the scorpion crushes its prey after dis
abling 1t by means Of a sting
The body of scorpion consists of
several segmented joints. the last five
or more narrowing down to form the
tail, which curls up forward over the
body and terminates IN the sting. This
businesslike appendage is a horny.
sharp spine containing two little open
1ngs which connect with the venom
gland within the shell of the last seq
| ment. In striking the scorpion gives
the tail rapid lashing motion forward
in advance Of the body and literally
administers a hypodermic injection Of
poison, or rather several injections, for
it usually stings repeatedly when it
does strike.
In color scorpions vary according to
environment. One ordinarily colorless
or translucent will a. sume @ brown or
bIaekish shade in fs4sis surroundings
| Scorpions live in the cracks Of the sun
! baked clay, under stones. in the chinks
Of the adobe huts and in the cracks in
! the plaster Of old frame houses. They
| prey upon spiders and other night
| marauding insects. 4 spider stung by
| a scorpion may be observed under
| going commissions before death just as
animals Or human beings do
Unless sleeping cots are we'll screen
| ed and the supports Immersed in cans
| of kerosene or carbolic acid-water
evaporates too rapidly-the prowling
scorpion may find it's way beneath the
bed covers and sting the restless child
Mexico every one takes peep in the
toe of his shoe before dressing in the
morning to assure himself that no IN
desirable citizen is hiding there.
Contrary to common belief scorpions
never commit suicide by stinging them
| selves to death-at least not in Mexico
In fact, they seem immune to their
own venom. Two we'll matched speci
| ments will battle to death if confined
| in jar. stinging each other repeated
| ly, yet the victor does not die. He
| tears his antagonist into small pieces
with his claws and voraciously de
| YOURS every trace of the vanQuished
| foe. And the cannibal thrives on the
diet
! Some scorpion bites cause little more
I than burning pain and numbness il
the part affected for a few days. But
the more poisonous varieties cause
death, and that speedily, especially
when they sting young children or de
bilitated old people The lower classes
Of people suffer more than the vel
to do because of their custom of going
about half naked most of the time.
In serious cases the local numbness
and pain or burning extend over the
body in q few hours. Then follows 6
feeling as of a ball in the throat, the
victim clutching his throat as though
choking on foreign body. Promp
treatment at this stage will usually
save life.
If not treated the mouth soon begin:
to froth and the eyes become rcddenet
and representative to light. Within al
hour or two the breathing grows short
er and more difficult, the body turn
blue, the pulse fails and convulsion
set In The convulsions recur FIRE
uuently during several hours, but com
plete relaxation usually ushers in th
end.
Fortunately unconsciousness devel
ops early, so that the victim does no
suffer the tortures Of one dying from
lockjaw. The average time require'
for a scorpion sting to cause death l
twelve Or fourteen hours
The treatment of scorpion sting cor
sists of a free incision of the part t
promote copious bleeding, then vigol
Gus massage toward the bleeding Ger
ter for half an hour or more. Stimr
lants-meaning drugs and not tha
pseudo stimulant, alcohol-are also nee
essary.
, In villages where physicians ar
: wanting the treatment is applied b
"practfcantes self constitHt
!, ed healers, and many peon carrie
= horrible scars from the practicante
7 crude surgery. Their reckless use Q
y carbolic acid, iodine and similar po
!, sons also accounts for many otherwis
y avoidable fatalities among victims {
y scorpion stings.-New York Sun.
y Difficulties may surround our patl
Y but if the difficulties be not in on
:, selves they may generally be Owe
' c0me.-Jowett.