and repeat as needed. If the pain is severe, give the victim barbiturates (orally, 30-60
mg) because they are more effective and less dangerous than morphine. The victim
can be sedated with Thorazine 25 mg by mouth 4 times a day or 25 mg IM qd or
Solucortef 1 gm IV. Place ice or some type of freeze-pack on the site of the sting as
soon as possible since this may decrease the absorption of the poisonous venom by the
body. It may be used up to two hours but do not let the ice freeze the area. If a hand or
foot has been emerged in ice water, remove it for one minute after 15 minutes and
thereafter repeat this procedure every 10 minutes. Do not use the iced water immersion
if the victim has a disease of the extremities involving circulation.
2-25. CENTIPEDES
Wormlike in form, centipedes have a distinct head with a pair of antennae and
many fairly similar body segments, each with one pair of segmented appendages. They
are like insects being tracheated and for the most part, terrestrial. The centipede's body
segments are somewhat flattened so that a cross section of one of them is oval. Its 15
to 100 pairs of legs are moderately conspicuous and in spite of the confusing number of
walking appendages, centipedes crawl very rapidly. Most of them feed mainly on
insects. They have powerful poison claws that are located immediately ventral to the
mouth and connected by means of a hollow tube to large poison glands. These claws
are the appendages of the first body segment behind the head. They are able to quickly
kill large insects with their poison claws that close upon the insects. Probably the worst
a centipede can be expected to do to humans is to inflict severe local pain similar to the
sting of a hornet. The treatment consists of applying cold compresses, and
administering aspirin for pain. Treat to prevent secondary infection. One record of a
centipede bite fatal to man was that of a 7-year-old child who succumbed 29 hours later
after being bitten on the hand.
2-26. MILLIPEDES
Millipedes are different from centipedes since the millipedes' most apparent body
segments possess two pairs of appendages instead of one. Millipedes also do not have
two poisonous fangs that are characteristic of centipedes. The millipedes' (in most
species) body has a cylindrical shape, and the numerous legs and antenna are short
and inconspicuous. The North American millipedes have glands that produce irritating
effects (this is true with the exception of one of the species). Some species are capable
of squirting an irritating fluid for several inches while one of the Haitian species can
direct its secretion some 28 to 33 inches. This secretion may cause blistering of the
victim's skin or chemical burns to the eyes. Treat the skin by washing it with soap and
water. Flush the victim's eyes with water and apply a bandage. It is important to keep
the millipede's secretion away from one's eyes because the fluid is extremely
dangerous in this area and can produce blindness.
MD0588
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