Beware of Spiders

Three women in North Florida turned up at hospitals over

a 5-day period, all with the same symptoms.


Fever, chills, and vomiting, followed by muscular collapse,

paralysis and finally, death.

There were no outward
signs of trauma.

Autopsy results showed toxicity in the blood. These women did not know
each other and seemed to have nothing in common. It was discovered,
however, that they had all visited the
same Restaurant (Olive Garden) within days of their deaths. The Health
Department descended on the restaurant , shutting it down. The food,
water, and air conditioning were all inspected and tested, to no avail.


The big break came when a waitress at the restaurant was rushed to the
hospital with similar symptoms. She told doctors that she had been on
vacation, and had only went to the restaurant to pick up her check.

She did not eat or drink while she was there, but had used the restroom..

That is when one toxicologist, remembering an article he had read, drove
out to the restaurant, went into the restroom and lifted the toilet seat .



Under the seat, out of normal view , was a small spider. The spider was
captured and brought back to the lab, where it was determined to be the
Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia dimidiata), so named because of its
reddened flesh color.&nb sp; This spider's venom is extremely toxic, but
can take several days to take effect. They live in cold, dark,
damp climates, and toilet rims provide just the right atmosphere.

Several days later a lawyer from Jacksonville showed up at a hospital
emergency room. Before his death, he told the doctor, that he had been
away on business, had taken a flight from Indonesia , changing planes in
Singapore , before returning home. He did NOT visit (Olive Garden),
while there. He did (as did all of the other victims) have what was
determined to be a puncture wound, on his right buttock. Investigators
discovered that the flight he was on had originated in India .



The Civilian Aeronautics B oard (CAB) ordered an
immediate inspection of the toilets of all flights from India and
discovered the Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia dimidiata) spider's nests
on 4 different planes!

It is now believed that these spiders can be anywhere in the country.

So please, before you use a public toilet, lift the seat to check for
spiders. It can save your life!