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Insanity caused by Mosquito Bites— Hibernation of Mosquitoes. 



I was interested iu reading a recent number of Inskct Life (Vol. iv, p. 85) to the 

 effect that the ])()i.son of the Mosijuito was i)rovocative of insanity. When I was 

 engaged in ('xi)]oring in the vicinity of the north shore of Luke Snperior about 

 twenty-live years ago, I liad more than one proof of this fact. One of my men was 

 badly bitten and seemed to surt'er more than any others of the company. He became 

 violently insane and ran otf in the woods, and in spite of all efforts he eluded pur- 

 suit and was never found again. Another man on a tUfferent occasion was ati'ected 

 in a similar manner, and Avas captured with difficulty after a long chase in which he 

 exhibited the utmost terror, but after a few days' close confinement in the camp he 

 regained his reason. Afterwards he was so seriously ati'ected by the poison that he 

 had to be sent home. I have noticed that the poison affected persons differently, 

 causing severe swelling in some, fever in others, pains in the limbs in others, while 

 some were but slightly annoyed. I was myself very little troubled by these pests 

 or the Black Flies, and found a wash of ammonia to relieve all the injury to the 

 skin. One warm day iu March, although the snow was several feet deep and the 

 ice on the lakes was five feet in thickness, the Mosquitoes appeared in swarms, liter- 

 ally blackening the banks of snow in the sheltered places. These were evidently 

 the insects of the previous summer which were wintering over. The Indians told 

 us that the Mosquitoes lived over the winter, and the old ones were the most annoy- 

 ing to them. — [H. Stewart, North Carolina, November 3, 1891. 



Reply. — This statement concerning the biting of the hibernating Mosquitoes in 

 the northwest is paralleled by the experience of Dr. E. Sterling, published in Insect 

 Life, p. 403, Vol. iii.— [November 5, 1891.] 



Death of an Infant from a Spider Bite. 



The inclosed clipping is from the Cincinnati Enquirer of October 11, 1891, and be- 

 ing on the subject of spider bites, conceruing which there has been some insertions 

 in Insect Life, may be of interest to you. — [Edwin A. Hill, Ohio, October 2.3, 1891. 



Madison, Ind., October 10. 

 Several days ago the infant daughter of Thomas Davison, the stove merchant, was 

 bitten upon the finger by a spider. The mother l)rushed the insect away, and no evil 

 effects were noticed for several hours, when the hand began to swell and a physician 

 was called. The member continued to swell and blood poisoning set in, from the 

 effects of which the child died to-day. 



Reply. — * * « Thank you very much for your clipping regarding spider bites. 

 It is a pity that all of these indefinite stories can not be thoroughly investigated. — 

 [October 26, 1891.] 



On the poisonous Bite of the Spider, Latrodectus mactans. 



I send you by today's mail a black spider that has the reputation of being very 

 poisonous, in fact, several jieople have died from the effects of the bite and others 

 have been very sick. Would you please name it for me? * * » [AlvahA, Eaton, 

 California, November 14, 1891. 



Keplv. — ^ » * jjjy spider which you send as possessing the reputation of 

 being very poisonous, is Latrodectus mactans, a near relative of the well-known 

 " Katipo" of New Zealand. There is no doubt that the spiders of this genus Latro- 

 dectus are very poisonous and that their bite has been followed by severe illness and 

 in some cases by death. The actual records of fatal cases are, however, few, and if 

 you can give me names and dates of any fatal cases concerning which you make the 

 general statement, you will place me under obligations. If you can in any of these 

 cases refer me to the medical attendant, I shall be glad to open up correspondence 

 1775Jt — 2s o. 7 4 



