[at-l] More Snake Bite

[gbuffmd@bigfoot.com (Gary Buffington)]

Clark Wright sent me some more facts on snakes.  I agree with him and
include them here and added a few more of my own.
1. Coral Snakes are found beyond Florida.  As far north as the Carolinas.
Their bite is different (a neurotoxin) and more dangerous and does not have
initial pain like the pit vipers.  So if a Coral bites you, get on to the
hospital for antivenin which is a different type than for the other three.
I've never seen a Coral snake bite in 25 years of ER practice in Florida,
and only heard of one.  They are said to be very reclusive and do not stay
in areas inhabited by humans.  I once heard it said that when the bulldozer
drives on a building lot, the Coral snakes are gone forever!  The Cotton
Mouth on the other hand is routinely found on my neighbors' porches.
2. A Coral snake has a black head and the other similar looking snakes don't
(bad guys wear black hats).  The Coral has teeth not fangs.
3. A constricting band may be of some help if there is envenomation.  The
venom travels in the lymph and a constricting band may block this travel.
This is not a tourniquet.
4. There is no need to kill or carry the snake to the ER.  If there are fang
marks and signs or symptoms, there is envenomation and the same antivenin
works on everything but the Coral.
5. I offered to give my snakebite talk in exchange for two bunks at the
Mitzpah Hut and the caretaker said, "There are no poisonous snakes around
here and I am not interested!"  He was correct on both counts, and we slept
in the rain on the platforms!
6. And now let's take a poll of all those who ever heard of anyone suffering
a poisonous snake bite on the AT--and give us their case history.
Bear Bag, GA>ME 2000 with Sweet Pea

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