The spider poisons are akin to the serpent poisons in their property of producing a disorganization of the blood. In Case I, thin and florid non-coagulable blood continued to ooze from the cut surface despite the application of tannin. It may be a question whether this condition of the blood is directly toxicological, or a pathological result of stasis in the peripheral vessels. I incline to regard it as due to the latter condition, and I believe this explanation also holds good in the case of serpent poisoning.
The hæmorrhage recorded in Case I was of gastric origin; splenic congestion existed, and the vasa brevia--branches of the splenic artery--gave way under the pressure. I once met a similar hæmorrhage in a case of intermittent fever in a child, and I recorded the fact as a possible hint for the applicability of _Latrodectus mactans_ in a similar condition.
In all the year that the stray copy of the old magazine was in my possession I felt it a duty to write up this remedy. I have done it lamely, but as well as I was able. Reader, where my duty ends yours begins. May you discharge it more worthily than I.
(There have been a number of cases reported in which _Latrodectus mac._ acted as Dr. Jones predicted; from them we select the following by Dr. E. H. Linnell, _North American Journal of Homoeopathy_, December, 1890):
S. L. G., a man fifty years old, of bilious temperament, a dentist by profession, had slight attacks of angina after severe exposure and overexertion during "the blizzard" in March, 1888. He did not consider them of sufficient importance to consult a physician about them, but some months later he had a suppurative prostatitis, which was followed by considerable prostration, and the attacks of angina became very severe. I never could get a satisfactory description of the character of the pain, and I never saw him during a paroxysm. The pain was brought on by exertion of any kind, and was especially frequent soon after dinner. The pain was sometimes felt in the left arm, but was usually confined to the cardiac region. I once or twice detected a slight aortic obstruction sound, but aside from this failed to find any evidence of organic disease. The usual remedies gave no relief, but _Latrodectus_ [Latin: ezh]c was of great benefit. Under its use the attacks gradually became less frequent and less severe. He has taken no medicine now for at least six months, and he tells me that although he occasionally has a little reminder of his former trouble, the attacks are so slight that he pays no attention to them. I have given the remedy in another similar case, with even more gratifying success. The attacks were very promptly arrested and have not returned, although nearly a year has elapsed. I think we have in this remedy, to which Dr. S. A. Jones directed attention in one of the issues of the _Homoeopathic Recorder_, a very valuable remedy in this painful affection. It is probably, as Dr. Jones suggests, in angina pectoris vasomotoria that it will be found especially serviceable.