The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-08-25
WHAT TO DO ABOUT SNAKE BITE

| Everybody should study; snakes at tne loo, | in their natural habitat oI elsewhere at sas. enough to be able to tell at slgnt whesns. .,as, | a snake is yenomous or harmless to ma.' 1 There still prevails among people wno tonoly imagine themselves intelligent good oeai ol silly superstition and childlike credull.y m gard to snakes. and this leads to much cruelty | 10 the common harmless snakes ana Wanson destruction of some of the larger snakes as tnas are friends of man and, indeed. oIten pliSea household pets People who know shaNes som etimes speak of them as "beautifuf; peopie who are ignorant cannot comprehend ths, TOT Ito their benighted consciousness all snakes arc ugly creatures. s8 s While copperheads and moccasins occur Tn this country and occasionally bite, in the great ma jority of cases of bite by venomous snake one or another kind of rattlesnake innicts the wound. ., ,.,,.. Rattlesnakes are unable to strike higher than the middle of the calf of person stand ing or walking. So 1t is a good plan to wear
 stout leather leggngs or heavy snoes .nar aor r half way up the leg when you are Worklns oi playing or hiking or touring in country wne[c
 -attlesnakes live They are fond or rocky
 slopes where sunny ledges are numerous.
 foi15ss: n3s pest n's' ''a ,.... mark or both marks if both fangs nave pene- trated the skin. These incisions should be merely skin deep (not more than finch deepl and not more than half an inch long, ,hazor blade knife, other sharp implement or even piece of broken glass, will make the m cisions.
 2. Immediate suction of the fresh wounds, to draw as much blood ana venom out as you can, Continue this suction for twenty minutes. If there is no abrasion of lips or mouth tnerc
 Is no danger to the person who SUCKS the wound. the limb above the wound. Twisted handker- chief or other loose loop of cloth or rope around lmb and stick to twist 1t tight enough to shut off circulation. This must De entirely loosened for half a minute every five minutes, to prevent gangrene from lack of cir culation ., as running. 5. Other than the immediate incision and suction no further local treatment is Of any
 use, except. of course. to keep tne'wound pro tected as we'll possible against ordinary ih- lection, as in any case of open wound
 6. If first aid package of antivenin IS al
 hand, inject 1t under the skin few incnes above the wound. If antivenin is injected, re- move the tourniquet for the purpose is.to al- low the antidote to circulate throughout tnc
 body. Remember, no tourniquet a1ter anu anu venin is injected. But the incision ana suction of the wound should be done in every case no
 matter whether antivenin is ised !. 2. Never give or permit given alcohol ln any form The only effect of alcohol is to Ia
 vor the perfusion of the system with the ven- om. . =, S. Probably adrenafin is the best of all stimulants against the letha depression pro- duced by snake venom. It Is best administered by hypodermic or intravenous injection. but there are tablets of adrenalin for administra- ton by mouth. Strychnln is soou s.i.n uia'. In such poisoning, and the emergency kit may contain strychnin tablets. too. Hot coffee >is
 perhaps the best of all vital stmulants or even hot tea, for the emergency.
 Where the antivenin is administered within
 an hour after the bite, Q quick cure is almost invariably obtained. It Is q great antidote even If the dose Is administered only after the lapse of half day. Of course the sooner the better.
 That is the reason why package or antivenin
 should be in the emergency kit ready Tor cmer-
 gency The serum keeps perfectly for years and anyone can inject it by following directions printed on the package.