Man bites Cobra to death

[Pootle]

Unusual story, and yet another example of how education needs to reach across the world for everyones and everythings benefit.

BBC News - Farmer bites cobra to death in Nepal

 

[Jarkari]

Im a little sjocked the application of a pressure bandage isnt mentioned in the story. surely thats not something only us Aussies are taught.

Note: i understand that in some less developed countries like nepal snake bite treatment might not be taught but being a bbc article it could have been mentioned

 

[Hix]

Jarkari, pressure bandages are great for Australian snakes whose venom is mainly neurotoxic. Most snakes in the rest of the world have haemotoxic/cytotoxic venoms - a pressure bandage will have little effect because the venom destroys tissue around the bite site and enters the blood system that way. Pressure bandages only prevent movement of lymph, not the flow of blood.



Hix

 

[Steve Robinson]

Jarkari, pressure bandages are great for Australian snakes whose venom is mainly neurotoxic. Most snakes in the rest of the world have haemotoxic/cytotoxic venoms - a pressure bandage will have little effect because the venom destroys tissue around the bite site and enters the blood system that way. Pressure bandages only prevent movement of lymph, not the flow of blood.



Hix

We also have snakes with predominately haemotoxic venoms [the Blacks for example] and with myotoxins [the Tigers].

However, for simplicity's sake, we teach people to use pressure bandages for all venom types. Certainly, pressure is more effective against some venoms than it is for others.

Tourniquets are very effective in restricting the movement of haemotoxins by restricting blood flow - but are easily misused. In the old days when tourniquets were commonly used, more people lost their limbs or digits through the incorrect use of tourniquets than were ever going to die of snakebite.

 

[Jarkari]

Jarkari, pressure bandages are great for Australian snakes whose venom is mainly neurotoxic. Most snakes in the rest of the world have haemotoxic/cytotoxic venoms - a pressure bandage will have little effect because the venom destroys tissue around the bite site and enters the blood system that way. Pressure bandages only prevent movement of lymph, not the flow of blood.



Hix

Wow. there ya go. Thanks for that. I had no idea.anout the difference in venoms.