Claim: The Atractaspidinae are far too small to envenomate a person effectively; however, some can inflict severe tissue necrosis, a form of cell injury that results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis (a.k.a self-digestion).
Evidence: Most of these snakes are inoffensive or far too small to envenomate a person effectively. However, some can inflict severe tissue necrosis; e.g. if the victim's thumb is bitten, the tip of that digit may be lost. Necrosis (from Ancient Greek , nékrōsis, "death") is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis. In biology, autolysis, more commonly known as self-digestion, refers to the destruction of a cell through the action of its own enzymes.