Spider Bite First Aid (Recluse Spiders, pg 4):

RECLUSE SPIDERS--The controversy (continued): Dr. Edwards, whose paper on this subject is linked to on the previous page, is the curator of the Arachnida and Myriapoda collections for the State of Florida. If brown recluse spiders had been found in Tampa, or anywhere else in Florida, he would know. In the cited paper, he states:

          "I have personally identified several hundred Florida spiders submitted for identification by the public, and only one specimen... proved to be a brown recluse spider. In addition, I have seen thousands of Florida spiders submitted by professional biologists and inspectors, with only [a] few specimens... proving to be members of the genus Loxosceles. It appears obvious to me that the chance of interaction between brown recluse spiders and people in Florida is close to nil, agreeing with Vetter's (2000) assessment of reported brown recluse bites outside the natural range of the spider. Medical personnel should, therefore, consider a multitude of more likely causes... before diagnosing and treating a necrotic wound as a brown recluse bite." G.B. Edwards, 2001.

Note his language: "...before diagnosing and treating a necrotic wound as a brown recluse bite." This finding is consistent with similar conclusions arrived at by other researchers who have undertaken detailed lab and field studies on this subject. For some reason, medical personnel throughout the U.S. tend to classify a necrotic wound as caused by a spider bite, even when, from the available evidence, the likelihood that a recluse spider is the culprit is remote.

But, so what? Does it matter if the cause is misdiagnosed? NEXT PAGE. Page Menu:   1  *  2  *  3  *  4  *  5  *  6  *  7  *  8  * 

* TERMITE ENCOUNTERS  *  SNAKE ENCOUNTERS * SNAKE BITE FIRST AID * SNAKE EXCLUSION * SPIDER ENCOUNTERS FOR 2008 *  SPIDER ENCOUNTERS FOR 2007 * SPIDER BITE FIRST AID * SPIDER EXTERMINATION * PUSS CATERPILLAR ENCOUNTERS * PUSS CATERPILLAR FIRST AID * PUSS CATERPILLAR EXTERMINATION *  Assembled & Edited by Jerry Cates. Questions? Corrections? Comments? BUG ME RIGHT NOW! ---- Ph: 512-331-1111 ---- E-Mail ---- Privacy ----BugsInTheNews * --0a0s--