88 FALSE PARASITES 



inflicts a worse Avouiid than that of a flea. How- 

 ever, some of the larger southern spiders may be 

 more dangerous. Treatment with cold applica- 

 tions (cold earth or collodion) is sufficient. It 

 may also be mentioned that a hysterical patient 

 of Lopez pushed spiders under her eyelids, in 

 order that the surgeon might remove these par- 

 asites. 



3. The hunting spiders. To this class belongs 

 the celebrated Lycosa tarantula, first referred to 

 by Ferrante. Many are inclined to regard the 

 tarantula dance, which was said to occur after the 

 bite, as a sort of chorea. It appears to me that in 

 this case too little reference has been made to the 

 following circumstance : it may probably happen 

 that in particular cases the bite of the tarantula 

 may produce violent local irritation, and that per- 

 haps it was observed accidentally by the people 

 that violent dancing, and keeping up the perspira- 

 tion in bed, quickly healed these local symptoms. 

 To excite a desire of dancinsr in those who were 

 bitten, and thus to obtain a perspiration, it is well- 

 known that two melodies were played — the Tar- 

 antula and the Pastorale. Subsequently this cir- 

 cumstance was confused or forgotten, and in course 



