First-Aid for Stroke from Venom of Deadly Spider

Approximately six million people a year die from stroke, making it the second largest cause of death worldwide after heart attacks. Strokes occur when blood flow to the brain is interrupted and the brain is starved of oxygen. A bite from an Australian funnel web spider can be fatal, however, the same poisonous venom contains a compound that can protect brain cells from being destroyed by a stroke, even when given hours after the event.