Handling Spider Bites

Spiders use a kind of venom to paralyze their prey. Most spiders are relatively harmless to man, but some types are dangerous, particularly to young children. Spider venom affects nerve endings, causing weakness and dizziness and nausea. Breathing may become difficult, and the patient may even go into shocks. Convulsion may sometimes occur in small children following a spider bite.

What to Do: Put the patient to bed and give him a hot water bag or other gentle heat to the abdomen. Calcium gluconate should be injected by vein for serve bites. ACTH and cortisone also valuable in relieving this condition.

Use DDT to spray the area where spiders spin their webs. This will not only destroy the spiders but also the insects on which they feed.