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And you thought the Brown Recluse spider was bad! (NOT A JOKE)
Three women in North Florida, 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) 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.
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| November 15, 2004, 19:41 |
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pepper
56 / female
daytona, Florida, US
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Re: And you thought the Brown Recluse spider was bad! (NOT A JOKE)
OMG, I HATE spiders and this does NOT help!!!!!
I will definately check those places now and I might even carry a can of RAID with me when we go out to eat!!!!!!!  
  
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| November 15, 2004, 19:52 |
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backfromaustintx
66 / male
Burlington, Ontario, Canada
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Re: And you thought the Brown Recluse spider was bad! (NOT A JOKE)
We all need to be careful. Check out this article on Telamonia and toilet seats: http://www.snopes.com/horrors/insects/buttspdr.htm
Snopes is not the only site for this kind of thing. Thanks goodness!
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| November 16, 2004, 00:59 |
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pepper
56 / female
daytona, Florida, US
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Re: And you thought the Brown Recluse spider was bad! (NOT A JOKE)
Ok, you got me. 
I have an unreasonable fear of anything with more than four legs and big teeth!
Hothands if this fooled you too,  .
if it didn't though.... 
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| November 16, 2004, 04:46 |
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Re: And you thought the Brown Recluse spider was bad! (NOT A JOKE)
Wow,,,,,,I dont know what to believe now! Doesn't matter, I'll still be checkin under the seats only have one butt to enjoy and plan on keeping it as long as possible. I got this info from a close honest friend at the North Chicago VA Hosp. She must have been fooled also. Have already sent her that SNOPES.com website.
Thanks backfromaustintx, you gave us some relief, but I'll still be Checkin under the seat for a long time.
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| November 16, 2004, 06:46 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: Re: And you thought the Brown Recluse spider was bad! (NOT A JOKE)
Ain't that a bite in the ass!
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| November 16, 2004, 12:54 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: And you thought the Brown Recluse spider was bad! (NOT A JOKE)
Good God I hate spiders. Now I'm going to be afraid of EVERYTHING! They scare me so much. I don't know why, though. I can step on them and kill them. They just, ug. I hate them
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| January 10, 2005, 14:48 |
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