BITE OF A VENOMOUS SNAKE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 730, 16 December 1914, Page 7

BITE OF A VENOMOUS SNAKE.

If you should be so unfortunate aa to be bitten by a snake and were not quite certain what sort of a snake it was—whether poisonous or of the socalled harmless. variety—look at the injury.

If there are four punctures, or even three, the chances are that it was not a venomous snake; but if there are only two punctures it is probable you have been bitten by an extremely poisonous snake.

"While this does not always hold good, aa a non-poisonous snake may have had opportunity to make only two incisions with his four biting teeth, it is best to take no chances at all.

The poisonous snake's deadly fangs are but two—generally in the upper jaw. But, no matter what sort of a snake bites you, the head of that snake should, wherever possible, be kept for identification.

If, as i$ generally the case, the bite is on an extremity, tie one or more ligatures—preferably of broad rubber bands—above the injury. Incise deeply, cutting across the puncture for at least one inch and well beyond the depth reached by the fang. Isexfc, wash in running water, manipulating the part to promote free bleeding. If running water is not available, suck the wound, then rinse the mouth thoroughly with a solution of potassium permanganate. £nTow wash the wound well, and use in and around it the pot-a-ssium permanganate solution; or inject a 1 to 100 solution of chromic acid, being careful to infiltrate completely not only the Around, but also the surrounding tissues-.

'Do not give -ammonia. Stimulate with small doses of whisky, if indicated, but do not overdose, as mxa persons havo been killed by taking- large quantities of whisky than by snnkc-bito. "When positively certain -that the poi.vDii has been removed from the wound, loosen cautiously tho ligatures, that nearest the heart first., but do not reniovo them, so they may be again tightened if symptoms recur. In all cases the victim must have the best surgical care, and the wound should bo kept open by packing with wet antiseptic gauze, as sepsis and local gang'rene arc very apt to follow the injury.