INSECT POISONING AND MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 463 



of stronger solution. He has used successfully a dosage of 20 to 30 

 minims of a solution of 20 grains cocaine to the ounce, injected exactly 

 on the sting. A number of different writers have prepared anti- 

 venoms or serums which are capable of neutralizing the venom. Villala 

 reports the preparation of an antiserum in Brazil which was successfully 

 used in the case of a child affected with a very severe scorpion poison- 

 ing. 



SPIDER POISONING 



There is more or less general fear among the public, due to many 

 legends which have been passed down, as to the severity of spider poison- 

 ing. The majority of spiders are not poisonous but there are certain 

 species which are extremely poisonous. The spiders most feared in 

 America are the tarantulas, large hairy spiders. The tarantulas, like 

 other spiders, have poison jaws for killing or paralyzing their prey. 

 There are very few scientific records of tarantula poisoning in America. 

 Vorhies has cited four without mentioning the species. The American 

 tarantula which has been regarded as poisonous is Phidippus audax 

 Hentz. In Europe, tarantula poisoning is caused by Lycosa tarantula 

 Linnsus, L. narhonensis Walckenaer, Epeira diadema (Moritz-Herold) 

 Walckenaer, and Trochosa singoriensis (Laxmann). Epeira diadema is 

 the common garden spider of Europe and is not as large as the American 

 tarantula. The bite of Lycosa tarantula produces wheals surrounded by 

 red areola but no general symptoms result. 



The evidence against the hour-glass spider, Latrodectes mactans 

 Fabricius, and its allies is far more convincing and there is no doubt 

 that these are dangerous spiders. This species is coal black and marked 

 with red or yellow or both. It is quite variable in markings. The 

 full grown female is about a half-inch in length and its globose abdomen 

 is usually marked with one or more red spots on the dorsal line. This 

 spider occurs in old buildings, stables and wood piles. It spins an irregu- 

 lar web which is composed of very coarse, silk threads. It is an exceed- 

 ingly aggressive spider. Severe and sometimes fatal poisoning follows 

 the bite. Kolbert has isolated a substance from the poison gland 

 (Arachnolysin) which is a powerful hemolysin. Dr. E. H. Coleman, Los 

 Altos, California, has conducted quite a series of experiments with 

 Arachnolysin and with a toxalbumen which occurs throughout the body of 

 the insect. He dissected the poison glands and made various triturations 

 from which he prepared powders which he took himself and noted the 

 effects upon himself after each dose. After taking twenty-five powders, 

 his heart rate was reduced to 48 and his temperature was 99. He expe- 

 rienced a severe headache, clonic spasms of the thoracic and abdominal 

 muscles, marked distress about the heart with radiating pains extending 



