The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1914-02-05

Is from two to four inches. The claws
closely resemble lobster's; with them
the scorpion brushes its prey after dis
abling it by means of 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 q horny.
sharp spine containing two little open
ings 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 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 assume brown or
blackish shade in dark 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. A spider stung by
a scorpion may be observed under
going commissions before death just US
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 its way beneath the
bed covers and sting the restless child
By nature it is nocturnal pest. In
Mexico every one takes peep in the
toe Of his shoe before dressing in the
morning to assure himself that no I'm.
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 a jar. singing each other repeated
~, 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
than burning pain and numbness in
the part affected for 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 we'll
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 few hours. Then follows a
feeling as Of ball in the throat. the
victim clutching his throat as though
choking on a foreign body. Prompt
treatment at this stage will usually
save life.
II not treated the mouth soon begins
to froth and the eyes become Redeemed
and representative to light. Within an
hour or two the breathing grows short
er and more difficult. the body turns
blue. the pulse fails and commissions
set in. The convulsions recur fire.
quently during several hours. but COM
plete relaxation usually ushers in the
end.
Fortunately Inconsistencies devel.
ops early. 80 that the victim does not
suffer the tortures Of one dying from
lockjaw. The average time required
for scorpion sting to cause death Is
twelve or fourteen hours.
The treatment Of scorpion sting con-
sists Of free incision Of the part to
promote copious bleeding. then vigor.
Gus massage toward the bleeding CEN
ter for half an hour or more. stimu-
lants-meaning drugs and not that
pseudo stimulant. alcohol-are also nee
essary.
In villages where physicians are
wanting the treatment 10 applied by
observation-disclosures self constitut.
ed healers. and many a peon carries
horrible scars. from the practicante's
crude surgery. Their reckless use Of
carbolic acid. iodine and similar poi.
sons also accounts for many otherwise
avoidable fatalities among victims OF
scorpion stings.-New York Sun.
Difficulties may surround our path.
but It the difficulties be not In our