Spider Poisoning.

Six months ago I was bitten by a large black hairy spider. It was of that variety which has a bright red spot on the center of its back. I immediately had a very severe chill, which lasted two hours. For the next 24 hours there was a most intense burning sensation in the skin, which produced great suffering. This resulted in a perfect general anesthesia which lasted for three or four days, with a temperature of only 96°.

I took one-fourth of a grain of morphin and 1/150 of a grain of atropin and 1/20 of a grain of strychnin nitrate. This eased the pain and if I took the three remedies all at once every four hours hypodermically this would keep the temperature up to the normal point and would relieve pain. I have continued this course more or less continuously up to the present time, without creating any morphine habit.

T. C. WHARTON, M. D.

COMMENT.—Upon receiving the above, I wrote to the doctor that quite a large number of our doctors have treated the bite of the tarantula (which is a long legged, large, black hairy spider of the tropics and sub-tropics, very poisonous) with echinacea and have cured all cases reported; that I thought if he had used the same remedy the results would have been perhaps a little more prompt. This remedy is so satisfactory in the treatment of all organic poisoning that I am confident the doctor would have obtained good results from its use.

Ellingwood's Therapeutist, Vol. 2, 1908, was edited by Finley Ellingwood M.D.