The best
advice in TREATMENT OF SNAKE BITES is to assume
that every snake is poisonous, so seek medical attention
for every one.
But here's
some things to do for a Snake Bite until you reach a hospital:
Take
a good look at your attacker. Remember what color(s) the
snake is, and what its head looks like. Tell this to your doctor
to help them identify whether it was a poisonous snake or not.
Suck
and spit from the spot of the bite. This has limited effectiveness
as only about 5% of the venom is removed on average.
Splint
the area, send your friend for help, and sit calmly
with the affected limb below the level of your heart
- about your left nipple in males. If you're alone, walk calmly,
don't run. Snakes punch their venom into your muscle.
The harder you move around the harder your muscles contract and
the faster the venom spreads into
your blood stream.
At the hospital, if it's a non-poisonous snake your doctor will just
clean up the wound and apply an antibiotic to avoid infection. Poisonous
bites will need anti-venom and other sophisticated supportive measures
in hospital.
