142 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



from symptoms. In my opinion, the course of the disease 

 suggests what we call peripheral neuritis. No other cause can 

 be assigned for such a change other than the bite referred to." 



In a letter to Mr. C. French, Dr. Nicholson, of Benalla, gives 

 the following notes of a case : — " Mr. C, a strong, muscular man, 

 states that between 6 and 7 o'clock in the morning of the 3rd 

 January, 1878, he felt something bite him on a very tender part 

 of the body. About half an hour afterwards, pain set in on the 

 inner side of each thigh and along the bottom of the belly. 

 The pain continued severe all day, until about 7 o'clock in the 

 evening, when it subsided, except a dull rheumatic pain behind 

 the thigh and down the calves of the legs. He also had a 

 peculiar tingling sensation at the end of his toes. There was 

 only a slight redness at the bitten part. Between 9 and 10 

 o'clock p.m. he observed that the right leg was bathed in cold 

 perspiration at the calves. The left leg became similarly 

 affected. The perspiration continued during the night to the 

 extent of saturating the bedding. The perspiration was so 

 profuse that it ran down the limbs. Next day he felt slight 

 drowsiness, but was not otherwise affected." 



Dr. Colquhoun, of Kingston, also writes : — " I herewith send a 

 spider* which has been doing considerable damage to men in this 

 •district. It abounds in sheaves of grain and amongst the peas, 

 and, as the result of its bite, men suffer from intense pain 

 ■shooting up the limbs, and soon complete motor-paralysis sets in. 

 As far as I can gather from report, there is no loss of sensation. 

 I have myself had but one case so far, and the symptoms were 

 as above, with, however, great depression." 



In the foregoing cases I have not been able to obtain proof 

 that the spider was seen at the time of the supposed bite. This 

 important piece of evidence has, however, been furnished me by 

 Dr. Hearn, of Kensington, who, whilst practising at Inglewood, 

 treated in all six cases, in four of which the spider was seen at 

 the time. I regret that he has been unable to supply me with 

 full details, a careful search having failed to disclose the where- 

 abouts of his notes made at the time. The symptoms varied 

 considerably, but acute pain in the back was a constant symptom. 

 In his own case — he being one of the victims — he saw the spider, 

 and brushed it off after feeling the bite. The leading symptom 

 was — besides acute lumbar pains — excessive perspiration, lasting 

 for three days. One patient was twice bitten, and was laid up 

 for six weeks on the first occasion. The second time he 

 recovered in a few hours. One case proved fatal — a child, three 

 months old, dying collapsed about six hours after the bite. 



The description received of the spider is, in all cases, " black, 

 with a red stripe down the back" — so its identity is clearly 

 established, as no other spider known in Australia possesses that 



* Latrodectus scelio. 



