VENOMOUS BITES AND STINGS. Under this title are considered all wounds inflicted by animals which by their bites or stings introduce poisonous or irritating matter into the bodies of their victims. In this country the subject is of comparatively little Importance, since it is very seldom that the bite of our most venomous animal—the adder—is fatal; but in warmer countries it demands the serious attention of the surgeon. Following Mr. Busk, in his article on " Venomous Insects and Reptiles," in Holmes's Sys tem of Surgery, we shall briefly enumerate the most venomous animals found (1) among the invertebrata, and (2) among the vertebrate.
(1) Among the invert.ebrata, the most formidable poisonous animals are to be found in the classes arachmida, myriapodct, and in.secta. The scorpions are characterized by a prolonged jointed abdomen, terminating in a hooked claw, which is perforated, and connected at the base with poison-glands. The larger species, which are restricted to hot countries, by their sting give rise to symptoms of great severity, and occasionally cause death. " The Symptoms resemble those produced by the stings of wasps and bees in an aggravated degree, snch as acute pain, a general nervous shock attended with numbness, vertigo, occasionally temporary loss of sight, vomiting, etc. ; while the local symptoms are swelling, and other signs of acute intlamation, followed, iu many cases, by suppuration, sloughing, and their consequences. The remedy which appears to have obtained the greatest repute, is the application of ammonia externally, and its internal administration as a stimulant also; although' it is probable that any other diffusible stimulus, combined with opiates, would be equally, if not more efficacious."—Busk, op. cit., p. 921. Several species of scolopendra, or centipedes, are regarded as highly ven omous, and there is no doubt that the bites of some of the larger kinds inhabiting hot countries (especially of S. morsitans), give rise to excessively painful consequences, although less severe than those occasioned by the sting of the scorpion. In these ani mals, the poison is introduced not by a caudal sting, but by perforated curved fangs, connected with the mandibles, where poison glands doubtless exist, though their exis tence has not been clearly established on anatomical evidence. Athough apid,ers have long had a bad reputation for their venomous bites, it is quite certain that (with certain rare and foreign exceptions) their bite inflicts no more than a simple wound. The most ill-famed of the spiders is the tarantula or tarentula (lycosa tarentula), a citigrade or run ning spider, common in south Italy. Sec TARANTISM.. Direct experiments, however, show that the bite of this spider merely causes a slight local irritation. There isa spider inhabiting the island of Elba (aranat13-gutiata), which is said to be dangerous and even fatal to men and domestic animals; while the cork-forests of Morocco are said to be infested by an equally formidable spider, which is there known as the tendevaman. It would be well if scientific travelers in those countries would obtain more definite infor mation regarding these spiders. Among insects, many inflict more or less troublesome
bites, while a comparatively few (and those almost, if not altogether, restricted to the order hymenoptera) inflict serious injury by their stings.
In the case of the majority of biting insects, it is very doubtful whether the local discomfort is due to the introduction of poison, or is the consequence of the prolonged mechanical irritation only. In some cases, as in the ants, we know that formic acid (an irritant of great power) is introduced; and considering the prolonged irritation that fol lows the bites of many small insects, it is probable that there is some special acrid mat ter in their salivary secretion. This view is further borne out by the fact, that persons who suffer much from the bites of fleas and bugs (and the degree of annoyance varies extremely in different persons), are relieved by the local application of hartshorn, or some other preparation of ammonia. The " tsetse" (glosrinia marsittins), whose ravages are so graphically described by Dr. Livingstone, does not attack man, but it affords an example of an insect, very little larger than a house-fly, being able to secrete an intense septic poison, which, introduced by its bites, causes certain death to cattle, the sheep, horse, and dog, while it is innocuous not only to man, but to the goat, antelope, ass, and pig, to all wild animals, and to the calf until it is weaned. Another insect, mentioned but not described by the same traveler, produces by its bite vomiting and purging in man. In the case of stinging insects, the stinging instrument consists essmtishly of two fine and sharp darts, inclosed in a tubular sheath, at the base of which .s a poison-sac, whose contents are injected into the wound made by the darts, which are usually serrated or barbed. The consequences of the sting of a bee or wasp are too familiar to require any detailed notice; and the sting of the hornet, a much rarer insect, is of the same nature, but of an aggravated.form. The sting of a bee or wasp scarcely ever proves fatal, except the insect is swallowed in a cavity in ripe fruit, or in the act of drinking, and inflicts its sting on the throat. A sting in the faeces usually excites severe and dif fuse inflammation, which may extend to the glottis, and thus cause suffocation. The treatment must he prompt, and consist of scarification internally, leeches externally, and possibly tracheotomy. When a large number of any of these insects make a combined attack, the result may be fatal. For the bites and stings of all these animals, the remedy recommended for scorpion-stings must be used; namely, ammonia in some form or other, and sal-volatile is the best. Among various domestic remedies for allay ing the irritation excited by these stings, are vinegar. oil, spirits, eau-de-cologne, the blue-ball employed by washerwomen, consisting of indigo, etc. If possible, the sting should be extracted by bringing it to view by pressure over the wound with a watch key, and then seizing it by small forceps.