Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/929008

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Title
'Watch out for these KILLERS!': newspaper coverage of the Sydney Funnel Web Spider and its impact on antivenom research
Author/Creator
Cushing, Nancy;  Markwell, Kevin
Institution
The University of Newcastle. Faculty of Education & Arts, School of Humanities and Social Science
Description
Based on a content analysis of treatments of the funnel web spider in the Sydney Morning Herald between 1955 and 1985, this paper argues that negative attitudes towards the funnel web were encouraged throughout this period in news stories, commentary, and advertisements and were demonstrated in the reported words and actions of members of the general public. Despite this opprobrium, research into a funnel web antivenom was able to proceed because of the willingness of individuals to collect the spiders and forward them to researchers. Negative attitudes towards the funnel web were able to be directed to a positive action which eventually helped to bring about the development of an antivenom, lessening the real threat posed by the spider.
Relation
Health and History Vol. 12, Issue 2, p. 79-96
Relation
http://www.anzshm.org.au/publications.html
Date
2010
Publisher
Australian and New Zealand Society of the History of Medicine
Keyword(s)
funnel web spiders;  antimvenom research;  treatments;  content analysis
Resource Type
journal article
Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/929008
Identifier
ISSN:1442-1771
Reviewed
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Subject
"Health and History"
 
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