Emergency Medicine: Brown Recluse Bites In the Austin area, we have two very dangerous spiders. I had a patient come in two days ago and during the treatment I noticed what looked like a scar from a brown recluse spider bite.
I asked him about it and he told me that it was one of three brown recluse bites that he has had.
The recluse is a small spider which packs a helluvah punch. The bite will penetrate deep into flesh and cause it to fester and rot. Not pretty and it hurts!!
Here a good way to handle a bite if you keep two items handy: activated charcoal and flax seed.
Here are the basic instructions on how to make a poultice of activated
charcoal and flax meal. The sooner a poultice is applied, the more
effective it will be.
Except for the most daring of folks, I would only recommend this as an
adjunctive treatment and would seek emergency treatment asap.
"Charcoal poultices that are kept moist and warm actually draw toxins
and poisons out through the skin tissue. This is because skin is a
permeable membrane, which permits a variety of liquids and gases to enter
and exit the body.
Make the poultice just large enough to cover the injured part. The
paste may be made by mixing equal parts of flaxseed meal or corn starch
with the activated charcoal, in a bowl, and then adding just enough hot
water to make a moderately thick paste. Then spread the paste over a
porous cloth, covering over the top with another layer of that same cloth.
Place the poultice over the area to be treated and cover it with a
piece of plastic. Cover or wrap with a cloth, to hold it all in place.
Secure by a tie, stretch bandage, or pin.
Apply the poultice for 1 or 2 hours. If applied at bedtime, leave it on
overnight. Absorption takes place almost immediately. When it is
removed, wash or gently cleanse the area with cool water.
Repeat when needed. Poultices should be changed every 6-10 hours.
[note; I would recommend changing the poultice every 1 to 2 hours
during the first 12 hours to ensure maximum extraction]
Do not put charcoal directly on the broken skin; because it may cause a
tattooing effect, blackening the skin for a period of time (21, 23, 24,
38, 50)."
[Frankly when it comes to a poisonous spider bite I would not be
concerned about "blackening the skin for a period of time"]
Here is the original link I copied this information from. There at the
site is additional information on the benefits of activated charcoal:
http://www.sdadefend.com/Charcoal.htm
I hope you do not have to use this information. If you do, you will be
happy if you have the ingredients and knowledge of how to assemble the
poultice.
Bites such as the brown recluse
according to Oriental Medicine are in the category of "heat toxins".
There are a number of herbs and herbal formulas to help bring relief. | 
