THE KATIPO, OR POISONOUS SPILE OF NEW ZEALAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1476, 7 February 1887, Page 3

THE KATIPO, OR POISONOUS SPILE OF NEW ZEALAND.

(Waipawa Mail.)

It has loeg be-n known that there are no poisonous reptiles or animals m New ZaaUn;! ; and most paop'e ate also aware that the only insect which need be fenred, indigenous to the country, is a little spider called the " Katipo." Experience JB toachinir those who live near the aea-ahore, that ihesa apparently harmless little crea tires are re*<ly very f 'rald-a-le, whtin thrir pois ja is allowed tt» g*t Into tho Ky^tem, m other wor b, wh. n they stin:. A caaa of blood-pofaoniug by a katipo occurred at Wainai only (ho other day. The fact was recorded, but no particulars were given at the time Since then we have been forunate eni u^h to have an iuterelew with a g«> tbmau who witnessed the whole bfiiir Tina is w r »t he cays : — "The c»ok at Mr — ' a eurvey camp was sleep ng m his bunk, as usual, otic night;, when he felt at me'hing i>ko a bite from an inseot, on his right side. He took no notice of it, and simply turned over and tr ed 1 1 go to slfop. fcomehow or other, sleep refused to com*, *ud ho ou'y become th« more restlessa. Late at i i^ht he got up and tod the o'-luhb what had hipp^ned, and >hey all concluded that he had been bitten by a "i-avipo." A message waa at onou telegraphed tj thu ueaest doctor an<i instrac ions s-nt by iffurn. I:, was felr. m the camp that the poison niiut by taat time h»ve beeu thor. ughly ab»<>r <ed m the oonstitu<ion, so that the on.'y hope lay In admiiiieteritic: an antidote. Bmudy was •rert mmen^erl, acd the poor fellow was made vety — well, he w«b given Beveral lftr^u doßes. The whole body swelled op — with the ourinus • xcaplon of the left flido, jaet opposite to the bioten nid»j. and the man waa iv a frightful Btaie of «gi ny for nea ly awe k. After that time the swe'hug went down, and it oeemed as if the poison were being overcome. By degrees he recovered " Thia ■htsws how venomous tnudt be the bite of the little npider referred to To look at, it is harmless euongb. It is nvr.aU, blaol , very delicate and pretty and has a vivid «pot on its back. Thia is a 1 iufailibla danger signal, and should never be mistaken. The real wond< ris ;h*t any p iißon could have suoh terrible tflfects when adminutered m suoh small quantities. Wears pot aware if the nature of the poison his been discovered ; or whether the medical profession have really discovered a> y remeay wnich can be counted npun as an infallible antidote One thing m, however, very evid' nt; the dango arising from these little insects is not on the decrease.. Every m w resident who settles on or near the sea-shore adJs on'>ij)er to the list of those who are daily risking being bitten by the " K.fpV It would be a wise «tcp if the Government analyist were to caase the best treatment for Katipo bites to be widely known, bo that settlers m remote pUceß may protect themselves the moment they Cud that they have been bittun and then* blood polfoned — a CHsaalty which may occur at spy time.