Three women 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, Western Cape) 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. 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 Board (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!
And please pass this on to everyone you care about.
This is really scary.May God continue to protect us.
ReplyDeleteWow!! Thanks so much for the info!! Visiting from VoiceBoks!
ReplyDeletegosh..that is scary! Poor victims. If only the doctors found out the reasons sooner
ReplyDeletePity the Olive Restaurant as it's not their fault. Being shut down like that must have suffer heavy loss
OMG, so terrifying. thanks for letting us know about this news.
ReplyDeleteugh. I hate spiders. And they are right...this one does kind of look like a melanoma spot!
ReplyDeleteHey I was freaked out and about to pass it on then... I checked out snopes and here is what I found http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/b/bushspiders.htm
ReplyDeleteI'll still be checking toilet lids cause there just icky!
That is very scary. I don't know why they don't inspect these planes carefully!
ReplyDeleteNew follower from the Monday BlogHop!
Terrifying!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYep, I've seen this floating around email and the internet for years. I think it might be a hoax, according to snopes? However, we have tons of spiders in our basement, and they just creep me out in general. I don't sit on the toilet seats as a general principle, and that solves a lot!
ReplyDeleteGina from vB
www.totallyfullofit.com
Wow this is scary. I am afraid of spiders to begin with imagine if I found one of these. Hopefully no one else will get hurt. Thanks for the info. Following from VB
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Very scary!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to thank you as Co-Host of the Mompreneur Blog Hop with vB for linking up! Please check back in through the month, and meet some more Mompreneurs:)
Courtney
http://www.mommyladyclub.com
This is a HOAX!! A false story that's been around for years. On top of that, this species is non-venemous.
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