The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-08-29
WHAT TO DO ABOUT SNAKE BITE

Everybody should study snakes, at
the ZOO, in their natural habitat or
elsewhere, at least enough to be able
to tell at sight whether a snake is
venomous or harmless to man. There
still prevails among people who fondly
imagine themselves intelligent good
deal of silly superstition and child
ish credulity in regard to snakes, and
this leads to much cruelty to the COM
mon harmless snakes and wanton de-
struction of some of the larger snakes
that are friends of man and, indeed,
often priced household pets. People
who know snakes sometimes speak Of
them as beautiful; people who are
ignorant cannot comprehend this, for
to their benighted consciousness all
snakes are ugly creatures.
While copperheads and moccasins
occur in this country and occasionally
bite, in the great majority of cases of
bite by venomous snake one or an
other kind of rattlesnake inflictS the
wound
RattleSnakes are unable to strike
higher than the middle of the calf of
a person standing or walking. So it
is a good plan to wear stout leather
leggings or heavy shoes that lace half
way up the leg when you are working
or playing or hiking or touring in
country where rattlesnakes live. They
are fond Of rocky slopes where sunny
lodges are numerous.
The best first aid treatment for
bites is as follows:
/. Immediate criss-crcss incision
of the fang mark or both marks If
both fangs have penetrated the skin.
These missions should be merely skin
deep mot more than 4. inch deep
and not more than half an inch long.
Razor blade, knife, OF other sharp i'm
plement, or even a piece Of broken
glass, will make the missions.
2. Immediate suction of the fresh
wounds, to draw as much blood and
venom out as you can. Continue this
suction for 20 minutes. If there is
no abrasion of lips or mouth there
is no danger to the person who sucks
the wound.
3. Immediate application Of a
tourniquet to the limb above the
wound. Twisted handkerchief or other
loose loop of cloth or rope around
limb, and a stick to twist it tight
enough to shut off circulation. This
must be entirely loosened for half a
minute every five minutes. to pre-
vent gangrene from lack of circula-
ton.
A. The patient must avoid all ex-
ertion, such as running.
5. Other than the immediate Incl
sion and suction, no further local
treatment is of any use. except, OF
course. to keep the wound protected
as we'll as possible against ordinary
! infection, as in any case OF open
wound.
6. If a first aid package OF anti
venin is at hand, inject it under the
skin a few inches above the wound
If antivenin is injected. remove the
tourniquet, for the purpose is to allow
the antidote to circulate throughout
the body. Remember, no tourniquet
after antivenin is injected. But the
incision and suction of the wound
should be done in every case. no mat
ter whether antivenin Is used.
Z. Never give or permit given alco-
hol in any form. The only effect Of
alcohol Is to favor the perfusion Of
I the system with the venom.
8. Probably adrenalin is the best Of
all stimulants against the lethal de-
preston produced by snake venom. II
is best administered by hypodernlit
or intravenous injection, but there are
tablets of adrenalin for administra-
ton by mouth. Strychnin Is a gooc
stimulant in such poisoning, and the
emergency kit may contain strychnir
tablets, too. Hot coffee is perhaps thu
best of all vital stimulants, or ever
hot tea, for the emergency.
Where the antivenin Is admins
tered within an hour after the bite
a quick cure is almost invariably oh
tanned. It Is great antidote ever
II the dose Is administered only aftel
the lapse of half a day. OF course
the sooner the better. That is tn
reason why package Of antivenil
should be in the emergency kit read.
for emergency. The serum keeps per
fectly for years, and anyone can in
| ject it by following directions printe
on the package.