First Aid Guide to Spider Bites and Scorpion Stings

[ScorpionKing]

Hi Folks
I've written a first aid guide to spider bites and scorpion stings which has filled a huge gap in or general knowledge. It's the best first aid guide on the subject by far and covers all the medically important spiders, and scorpions.

I have copies available for R140 each plus R25 postage. Anyone interested please drop me an email on [email protected] or check out my website for further details www.JonathanLeeming.com

The first aid guide includes the following:

Introduction

• Introduction
• How to use this guide
• Emergency Contact Numbers
• Perceptions
• Should we be afraid?

Spiders

• Introduction
• Medically Important Spiders
• Button Spiders
• Black Button Spider
• Brown Button Spider
• Button Spider Egg Sacs
• Sac Spider
• Violin Spider
• Six Eyed Sand Spider
• Quick Guide
• Other Spiders
• When to Consult a Doctor?
• What not to do!

Scorpions

• Introduction
• Venomosity Rule of Thumb
• Highly Venomous Scorpions
• Mildly Venomous Scorpions
• Weakly Venomous Scorpions
• Symptoms
• Comparative Symptoms
• First Aid
• When to Consult a Doctor
• What Not to Do!
• Canine Envenomation

Further Information

• Bites of Unknown Origin
• MRSA
• Poison Information Helpline
• South African Vaccine Producers
• Spider and Scorpion Risk Awareness Courses
• Index
• References
• Glossary

A6 in size, 80 full colour pages. Everything you need.

Kind regards

Jonathan Leeming
author of Scorpions of Southern Africa
www.JonathanLeeming.com

[hunter26]

Why not also throw in for snakes so as to make it a book for all types ie one covering all in africa.

Craig

[ScorpionKing]

Hi Craig
Snakes are not my thing! Johan Marais is busy with that one...

I specialise in spiders and scorpions especially the venomosity and risk side of them. It's a world unto its own. It's a case of generalising in everything... or becomming the go to guy for your speciality.

When it comes to first aid, general information is not enough. That's the problem we have at the moment with alot of literature on our venomous spiders and scorpions: too general to be of actual use. Button spiders and scorpions both have neurotoxic venom, but the symptoms are very different. The symptoms of a Violin spider bite compared to a Sac spider bite is very different but the "same" kind of venom.

There has been some very dodgy information doing the rounds. Check out SA4X4 August 2012 for a great example. People should stick to what they know about.

Kind regards
Jonathan

[hunter26]

JL I see that you don't mention what to do if bitten by these critters but what not to do or will this book cover it.Will the book also show other "common spider" found in our back yard.I have seen for eg a snake book that shows area found,description,photo,type of toxic ness,symptoms,what to do etc.Will your book have this info wrt spider,scorpions.

Craig

[Flagster]

Do you have an electronic copy available?

[ScorpionKing]

Hi Craig
I have symptoms (by timeframe) and first aid treatment for all the medically important spiders. I also have a section on non-medically important spiders including their symptoms and first aid treatment. :-)

I did look at spider and scorpion distributions but they would not be important within the context of the book. Distribution has been traditionally used as an identification tool, but when a spider or a scorpion occurs everywhere in Southern Africa, distributions become less important. However, I've gone with identification characteristics, habitat, webs, markings, etc...

Spiders have been narrowed down to common name (groups of species that look similar ie... Black Button Spider, Violin Spider). We only have on especies of medically important Sac Spider. Scorpions have been logical grouped into highly venomous, mildly venomous and weakly venomous (not species) according to their appearance. Symptoms and first aid treatment for each group is given.

Kind regards
Jonathan

Jonathan Leeming
www.JonathanLeeming.com

[ScorpionKing]

Hi BigRed
we are currently working on creating a mobile application using the content. The application will be available for iOS, Windows Mobile and Android.

These things take a bit of time... Expect to see the mobile application towards the end of the year.

My book Scorpions of Southern Africa published by Struik is available as an eBook from online book sellers.

Kind regards
Jonathan

Jonathan Leeming
www.JonathanLeeming.com