Snake & Spider Bites

SNAKE BITE: PREVENTION:

Usually snakes go for dark places, as holes in rocks, swamps, wood under-covers, wood piles, wild berry-bushes, swamped prairies, saw-dust piles, burrows (animal holes), abandoned houses, shacks or hay-barn.
It is prudent in those regions to wear good shoes, socks and long sleeves shirts with gloves.
When you get up ALWAYS check your shoes by dumping them first before putting them on. Don't check with your hands you might get bitten.

SNAKES & FACTS TO REMEMBER ABOUT ADDER:

We don't ALWAYS hear the noise of rattle snake. Snakes attack especially whatever moves. The snake attack field is about 2/3 of his length forward & 1/3 in height. If you are in safe place out of his reach, it is better to back off to even safer place.
Snakes swim very good, their bite is as dangerous on land or in water. Sea snakes are have the worst poison.

SNAKE BITE KIT:

Taking up only slightly more space than one of the larger shotgun shells one of the efficient little snake bites kit that can be tucked into a pocket should ALWAYS be on the person in bad snake
country. Especially handy are the Cutter Compak Suction Snake Bite Kit.
Each containing:
3 suction cups a sharp blade antiseptic lymph constrictor & a,calmly presented completeness of plainly illustrated directions.

SYMPTOMS:

The skin around the byte gets discoloured, becomes purple, a swelling appears, pain is almost immediate & increases in intensity.

SEARING = WRONG:
Searing is likewise ineffectual just as imprudent slashing that is most definitely unwarranted.

FIRST AID:

1) You MUST act immediately. Make the victim to lay-down,,keep him quiet. The wounded parts lower then the rest of the,body as much as possible.
2) Attach a bandage slightly constringent (a little tight),such as handkerchief a necktie a belt etc. around the wounded,limb at about 2 inches above the byte.,So as to slow down the venous blood flow but not the arterial,circulation. We MUST feel the heart pulse under the byte.
You MUST RELEASE this "constringent" bandage every 1/2 hour,during 30 seconds.
The constriction MUST be maintained till you obtain the anti-,venom serum.
If after 3 hours, the victim doesn't show any symptoms, you can,take off the bandage.
3) Don't give any liquid.
4) Practice A/R if need be.
5) If possible, kill the snake & keep it for identifications.
6) Bring the victim to hospital as quick as possible. 

RATTLESNAKE

North America. Mexico, and Central America

Note: Try to get information on the kinds of snakes in your area and put it on this page.

When someone has been bitten by a snake, try to find out if the snake was poisonous or harmless. Their bite marks are different:

People often believe that certain harmless snakes are poisonous. Try to find out which of the snakes in your area are truly poisonous and which are not. Contrary to popular opinion, boa constrictors and pythons are not poisonous. Please do not kill non-poisonous snakes, because they do no harm. On the contrary, they kill mice and other pests that do lots of damage. Some even kill poisonous snakes.

Treatment for poisonous snakebite:

1. Stay quiet; do not move the bitten part. The more it is moved, the faster the poison will spread through the body. If the bite is on the foot, the person should not walk at all. Send for medical help.

2. Remove jewelry because swelling can spread rapidly.

3. Wrap the bitten area with a wide elastic bandage or clean cloth to slow the spread of poison. Keeping the arm or leg very still, wrap it tightly, but not so tight it stops the pulse at the wrist or on top of the foot. If you cannot feel the pulse, loosen the bandage a little.

4. Wind the bandage over the hand or foot, and up the whole arm or leg. Make sure you can still feel the pulse.

5. Then, put on a splint to prevent the limp from moving (see p. 14).

6. Carry the person, on a stretcher if possible, to the nearest health center. If you can, also take the snake, because different snakes may require different antivenoms (antitoxins, see p. 388). If an antivenom is needed, leave the bandage on until the injection is ready, and take all precautions for ALLERGIC SHOCK. If there is no antivenom, remove the bandage.

Have antivenoms for snakes in your area ready and know how to use them before someone is bitten!

Poisonous snakebite is dangerous. Send for medical help but always do the things explained above at once.

Most folk remedies for snakebite do little if any good.

Some treatments can cause infection or make the effects of the venom worse.

Do not:

• cut the skin or the flesh around the bite
• tie anything tight around the bite or the person's body
• put ice on or around the bite
• shock the person with electricity
• try to suck the blood or the venom out of the bite

Never drink alcohol after a snakebite. It makes things worse!

BITE OF THE BEADED LIZARD (GILA MONSTER)

The bite of the beaded lizard is treated just like a poisonous snakebite, except that there are no good antivenoms for it. The bite can be very dangerous. Wash the bite area well. Avoid movement and keep the bite below the level of the heart.

Southern U.S.A. and Northern Mexico

SCORPION STING

Some scorpions are far more poisonous than others. To adults, scorpion stings are rarely dangerous. Take aspirin or acetaminophen and if possible put ice on the sting to help calm the pain. For the numbness and pain that sometimes last weeks or months, hot compresses may be helpful.

To children under 5 years old, scorpion stings can be dangerous, especially if the sting is on the head or body.In some countries scorpion antitoxin is available. To do much good it must be injected within 2 hours after the child has been stung. Give acetaminophen for the pain. If the child stops breathing, use mouth to mouth breathing. If the child who was stung is very young or has been stung on the main part of the body, or if you know the scorpion was of a deadly type seek medical help fast.

BLACK WIDOW AND OTHER SPIDER BITES

The majority of spider bites, including that of the tarantula, are painful but not dangerous. The bite of a few kinds of spiders such as the black widow and related species can make an adult quite ill. They can be dangerous for a small child. A black widow bite often causes painful muscle cramps all over the body, and extreme pain in the stomach muscles which become rigid. (Sometimes this is confused with appendicitis!)

Give acetaminophen or aspirin and look for medical help. The most useful medicines are not found in village stores. (Injection of 10% calcium gluconate, 10 ml., injected intravenously very slowly over a 10 minute period, helps to reduce the muscular spasms. Also diazepam, may be helpful. If signs of shock develop, treat for allergic shock. Injections of cortisone may be needed in children.) A good antivenom exists but is hard to get.