Theridion curassavicum

Volume I — Main text

Theridion*— [The spider proved under this name by Hering is a native of Curasao, called by von Hasselt "orange- spider,*' and ' well known to the people as very poisonous/' Dr. Ozanam points out that the theridions are ordinarily innocuous, and Hering admits that his " theridion curassavicum ** is very similar in many respects to the aranea tredecim -guttata, by which name Fabric! us has designated the latrodectus malmignattus of Volterra and other places. It is probably^ therefore, a member of the genus "latrodectus " instead of the genus " theridion,' and its pathogenesis may be studied in connexion with the records of the bite of the malmignatte. — Eds.]

1. Provings, — ^i. Hering, Jrchiv^xiv, — [This pathogenesis gives no names or account of provers, but states that all experiments were made by taking one dose of 30th, It is, therefore, in the absence of confirmation, inadmissible here. — Eds.]

IL Poisonings. — t. M. Cauro has studied [These. Paris, 1833, No. 288) the effects of the bite of the malmignatte as seen in Q>rsica- These are analogous to those of the viper, but less painful and less serious. In the first period we have torpidity, general tremor, nausea, vomiting, cold sweats, fain tings or convulsions, delirium, frequent irregular pulse ; in the second cardialgia, praecordial pains, pains in all the joints, general jaundice. The health returns slowly 5 the articular pains remain sometimes for years,

1. In J 789 the malmignatte (araignee rousse) of Volterra multi* plied extremely, and manv cases of its bite came before Dr, Marmocchi, who gives the following description of its effects :^ — **The bite excites instantly violent pains in the extremities and loins, producing in the legs an irregular movement called scdUtyrhii the patients

• '* It h a fact now perfectly demonstrated that the taretitula has not the powtr of causing the whale ensemble of the phenomtaa attending its bites, save in the dogdays," (OzANAM, op. cit.f pp* 50- I.J

cannot keep on their feet. General convulsions, suppression cf urine, priapism, swelling and pains in hypogastrium, vomitings, transient syncopes, and continued involuntary agitations of the body, — these are the ordinary symptoms and consequences of the venom. In the midst of such great nervous agitation, the pulse is scarcely altered ; it rather seems contracted ; but the unhappy victims emit howls, and experience extreme dyspncea." {jftt. della real, acad, di Siena ^ viii, 218, cited by

OZANAM.)

Ill, Experiments on animals, — i. The Volterra spider was made to bite a dog on the lip ; it became agitated, its neck swelled, it remained some d, without eating, languid, and with feeble extremities ; it survived, but constantly licked the injured part with its tongue. Some very young birds were then bitten ; in a few h. they became livid, swelled up and died. Others were made to eat the insect, cut up into small pieces ; they vomited suddenly and were soon dead. (OzANAM, op. cit.j p. 37,)