_Since the venom of the black widow, among other properties, appears to
affect the nervous system, its effect is almost instantaneous, and most
first-aid measures are of little value._
_Stahnke has found that the iced-water treatment (as described in detail
in the scorpion section of this booklet) is beneficial. The points of
puncture should be treated with iodine, the patient kept as quiet as
possible, and an ice pack applied or the part submerged in iced-water,
and a physician summoned immediately._
_Baerg[4] recommends hot baths—as hot as the patient can endure. These
should be used only in cases of advanced poisoning, never immediately
after the bite is received._
_Internal use of alcohol is dangerous, and a person bitten when
intoxicated would have much less chance of recovery._
Professional treatment consists mostly in the use of opiates,
hydrotherapy, and similar measures to alleviate the acute pain. Of more
than 75 different remedies used, three seem to be outstanding as
palliatives: spinal puncture, intravenous injections of Epsom salts, and
intramuscular administration of convalescent serum when given within 8
hours. Dr. Charles Barton, of Los Angeles, recommends intramuscular or
intravenous injection of calcium gluconate, 10 cc. in a 10 per cent
solution. The patient should be encouraged to drink as much water as he
will. He usually leaves the hospital on the fourth day. Recent
experiments with an injection of neostigmine followed by one of atropine
have had encouraging results, and the use of ACTH in several cases has
had spectacular results, according to _Readers’ Digest_ (Nov. 1951, p.
45).