Original Message

Version # 1

Please pass this on to everyone on your email list:  

According to an article by Dr. Beverly Clark, in the Journal of the United  Medical Association (JUMA), the mystery behind a recent spate of deaths  has been solved. If you haven't already heard about it in the news, here is  what happened. 

3 women in Chicago, 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 (Big Chappies, at Blare  Airport), 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 small spider. The spider was  captured and brought back to the lab, where it was determined to be the  South American Blush Spider (arachnius gluteus), 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 Los Angeles 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 New York, changing planes in Chicago, before returning home. He did  not visit Big Chappies 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 South  America. The Civilian Aeronautics Board (CAB) ordered an immediate  inspection of the toilets of all flights from South America, and  discovered the Blush 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.

Version #2

An article by Dr. Beverly Clark, in the Journal of the United Medical Association (JUMA), the mystery behind a recent spate of deaths has been solved. If you haven't already heard about it in the news, here is what happened.

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!