Poison from a millipede nearly blinded my son, young mother tells Thai media

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Poison from a millipede nearly blinded my son, young mother tells Thai media

 

Picture: Sanook

 

BANGKOK: -- A mother has told Thai media that her son was lucky not to be blinded after a millipede deposited poison in his eye.

 

Anchana Kaiphet was woken in the night by the screams of her infant who could not open his eye and had yellow fluid in it.

 

Under a pillow she found a large curled up millipede.

 

It is a familiar creature in Thailand that the Thais call "ging geu".

 

She rushed her son to hospital where doctors said it was fortunate that the poison from the creature had not entered the iris as it can cause blindness.

 

Doctors said that millipedes have an acid like substance that they use as a defense mechanism. The strength of the poison depends on the species of millipede.

 

They suspected that the child had turned over in the night and laid on top of the millipede causing it to release the poison.

 

Mum Anchana warned people to check their beds and those of their children for the creatures to avoid the same thing happening to them.

 

The incident happened about six weeks ago and though her son was in great discomfort for a week he has now fully recovered.

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-07-13

[ukrules]

I find these damn things inside the house all the time. I normally just kick them out the back door which remains closed all the time so I don't really know how they get in.

[steven100]

poor little fellow .... i bet it scared him.

good he has recovered.

[iReason]

"Millipedes are not poisonous, but many species have glands capable of producing irritating fluids that may cause allergic reactions in some individuals. The defensive sprays of some millipedes contain hydrochloric acid that can chemically burn the skin and cause long-term skin discoloration."

http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=B1088

[robertthesculptor]

1 hour ago, iReason said:

"Millipedes are not poisonous, but many species have glands capable of producing irritating fluids that may cause allergic reactions in some individuals. The defensive sprays of some millipedes contain hydrochloric acid that can chemically burn the skin and cause long-term skin discoloration."

http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=B1088

Come on editor, do some basic research before frightening people with little education. 

[anon4637435435]

Cant say much for millipedes but centipedes.... They hurt when they bite!. My leg went numb for an hour so. Dam thing was in my bed! We have these and scorpions everywhere in kanchanaburi.

They have a bad reputation here thats for sure.

[Reallush]

4 hours ago, iReason said:

"Millipedes are not poisonous, but many species have glands capable of producing irritating fluids that may cause allergic reactions in some individuals. The defensive sprays of some millipedes contain hydrochloric acid that can chemically burn the skin and cause long-term skin discoloration."

http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=B1088

This should explain some more.

 

Lemurs getting high on millipedes 
 

 

[sawadee1947]

7 hours ago, ukrules said:

I find these damn things inside the house all the time. I normally just kick them out the back door which remains closed all the time so I don't really know how they get in.

If you keep your house clean they will not visit you. It's a kind of hygiene, you know?

[toofarnorth]

5 hours ago, bsdthai said:

Cant say much for millipedes but centipedes.... They hurt when they bite!. My leg went numb for an hour so. Dam thing was in my bed! We have these and scorpions everywhere in kanchanaburi.

They have a bad reputation here thats for sure.

Absolutely ! Centipedes are far more dangerous . If allergic to them a bite can kill . I pick up full grown millipedes and let them walk on my arms , it does makes the neighbours run away in horror .

[tso310]

Aren't the black ones the worst ? 

[MyFriend You]

Orange Centipedes are by far the worst, I haven't encountered a black one - this one was found amongst ammo boxes during the Vetnam war.

 

 

[thaiguzzi]

On 13/07/2017 at 5:27 PM, TunnelRat69 said:

Orange Centipedes are by far the worst, I haven't encountered a black one - this one was found amongst ammo boxes during the Vetnam war.

 

 

Jeez dude! That is by far the biggest, nastiest, scariest one i've ever seen.

I would have run a mile, simultaneously crapping my pants.

Hate the things.

[thaiguzzi]

On 13/07/2017 at 9:57 AM, bsdthai said:

Cant say much for millipedes but centipedes.... They hurt when they bite!. My leg went numb for an hour so. Dam thing was in my bed! We have these and scorpions everywhere in kanchanaburi.

They have a bad reputation here thats for sure.

Only an hour? You were a very lucky man.

I've been bitten by a Thai brown scorpion, pain lasted several hours. The Thais reckon the centipede is generally much worse.

[observer90210]

why not use chemicals mixed in water and spray around the house? many home owners do such and the deterrent lasts around 3 to 6 months..