Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Thursday 19 January 1933, page 10


DANGEROUS SPIDERS.

City Coroner's Warning.

TREATMENT BY EXCISION.

"People should be on the watch for spiders which are evidently common on the north side of the harbour, and should be careful not to sit on the ground after dark," said the

City Coroner (Mr Farrington) yesterday at the conclusion of an inquest on Lucy Frances Russell 26 of Mann's-avenue Neutral Bay

Evidence was given that Miss Russell was in Taronga Park near the Aquarium on the night of January 7 when she complained that something had bitten her. She was taken to the Royal North Shore Hospital where she died next morning

Anthony Musgrave entomologist at the Aus-tralian Museum said that he captured two funnel-web spiders (atrax robustus) near the Aquarium. They were vicious and would attack without provocation They were known to have caused three deaths.

The Government Medical Officer (Dr Palmer) said that Miss Russell's symptoms were similar to those of an adult who had been bitten by a spider of this species and died in 1930. The best treatment of bites was probably to make a deep wide excision

Mr Farrington found that Miss Russell had died of toxaemia which was probably caused by a funnel-web spider