LACTRODECTUS, THE POISONOUS 187 



settler who took the treatment from the Ca- 

 huillan medicine man, and was cured, came to 

 my attention just recently. 



The black widow, or hour-glass spider, is 

 widely distributed in the United States, being 

 found, according to Emerton, "all over the 

 United States as far north as New Hampshire 

 and south through Florida, the West Indies, 

 and Chili." It is very plentiful in Southern 

 California. In spite of its frequency, few peo- 

 ple are bitten. The spiders seldom bite unless 

 severely provoked. In almost every case of 

 which I can find authentic record, the persons 

 bitten were those living in country districts 

 and the bite was experienced while about out- 

 of-door toilets or barns where these spiders 

 resort to spin their webs across openings and in 

 dark corners. 



