IMPORTANT - check toilet seats before use, for toxic spiders

Three women in KL, turned up at hospitals all with thesame 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, thattheyhad all visited the same Restaurant along Jalan Kuchai Lama within days of their deaths.

The health department descended on the restaurant,shuttingit down. The food, water, and air conditioning were all inspected and! tested,to no avail.The big break came when a waitress at the restaurantwas rushed to the hospital with similar symptoms. She told doctors that shehad been on vacation, and had only went to the restaurant to pick up hercheck. 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, droveup 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 theTwo-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia dimidiata),so named because of itsreddened flesh color.

This spider's venom is extremely toxic, but can takeseveral days to take effect. They live in cold, dark, damp climates, andtoilet rims provide just the right atmosphere.Several days later a lawyer from JB showed up at a hospital emergencyroom.Before his death, he told the doctor, that he had been away on business,had taken a flight from Indonesia ,changing planes in Singapore , beforereturning home. He did not visit the restaurant, while there. He did, asdid all of the other victims, have what was determined to be a puncturewound, on his right buttock.Investigato rs discovered that the flight hewason had originated in India . The Civilian Aeronautics Board (CAB) orderedanimmediate inspection of the toilets of all flights from India , anddiscovered the Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamoniadimidiata ) spider's nestson4 different planes! It is now believed that these spiders can be anywherein the country. So please, before you use a public toilet, lift the seattocheck for spiders. It can save your life!