|
- Keep
the victim calm and still, and if possible,
place the bite below and the level of the victim’s
heart.
- Identity
the snake, if you can. If you can have to kill
the snake, do not damage its had. CAUTION: Do
not endanger yourself by getting too close to
the snake.
.
- Call
your emergency number and report what kind of
snake bit the victim.
-
Check the victim’s ABCs. if the victim
is not breathing or does not have a pulse or
heartbeat, begin CPR.
- If
the bite is on the victim’s arm or leg,
tie a band above it. Loosen the band for a minute
or two every 15 to 30 minutes. If swelling extends
to the band, move it a few inches higher. CAUTION:
Do not apply a band if you suspect that the
victim was bitten by a coral snake.
- If
you are sure that the snake was poisonous, the
bite occurred within 5 minutes, and it will
take more than 30 minutes to get medical help,
cut into the bite and suck out the venom. With
a sterile razor blade, cut just through the
skin and through the bite mark. With a suction
cup or your mouth, suck out the venom. CAUTION:
Cut along the length of a limb, not across it.
Do not make any cuts on the victim’s head,
neck, or torso. Do not swallow the venom; spit
it out. Do not suck the venom if you have open
sores in or on your mouth. Do not make any cuts
if the victim was bitten by a coral snake
- Gently
wash the bite with soap and water. Pat, don’t
rub, it dry.
- Remove
any constricting jewelry or clothing near the
bite.
- Place
a clean cloth bandage over the bite.
- Watch
for signs of a severe allergic reaction.
- If
the victim needs to move, do not let him walk;
carry him.
|
|
HEAD
SHAPES AND BITE MARKS
|
NONSOISONOUS
SNAKE
Nonpoisonus
snakes tend to leave a bite pattern
similar to that shown above, with
double raws of bite marks.
|
POSIONOUS
SNAKE
Poisonus snakes (expect the coral)
have a distinctive triangular head;
the bite usually includes two fang
puncture wonds
|
|
|
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Aids
Update
Young
gay men in America have long
been at high risk for AIDS, but the results
of a new survey stunned health officials. Fully
30% of gay black men from the
ages of 23 to 29 are now infected with
HIV, and nearly half of all gay men in
their 20s report that they engage in unprotected
anal sex. Either the safe-sex messages aren’t
getting through or new
AIDS treatments have made young men tragically
complacent.
|
|
SYMPTOMS
Rattlesnake, Copperhead,
and Cottonmouth Bites
- Increasing
pain at bite site
- Rapid
swelling and skin discoloration at bite
site
- Twitching
skin
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- SweatingNumbness
around mouth
Coral Snake Bites
-
Pain at bite site
-
Drowsiness
-
Slurred speech
-
Double vision
-
Sweating
-
Nausea
-
Delirium
-
Seizures
-
Double vision
-
Sweating
-
Nausea
-
Delirium
-
Seizures
|
|
 |
Tie
a band above the bite. Use either a belt
or scarf to tie a band two to four inches
above the bite; the band should be between
the bite and the victim’s heart. Make
sure you can slip your finger between the
band and the victim’s skin and that you
can feel pulse below the band. If you cannot
do this, loosen the band until you can. |
|
|
POISONOUS
SNAKES IN THE U.S.
|
| There are
four types of poisonous snakes in the United States:
rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths (also called
water moccasins), and coral snakes (also called
harlequin or bead snakes). It is important to be
able to recognize the snake that bit the victim
so that the proper antivenin can be administered
at the hospital. |
Rattlesnakes, copperheads, and
cottonmouths have triangular heads, slitlike
eyes, long fangs, and a similar bite pattern.
Rattlesnakes and copperheads shake their tails
when disturbed, but only rattlesnakes have rattles
on the end of their tails. Cottonmouths can
be recognized by the white lining of their mouths.
|
Coral snakes have
red, black, and yellow or white bands
and a black snout. They can be distinguished
from similarly coloured nonpoisonous snakes
with the help of this rhyme: “Red
next to yellow will kill a fellow; red
next to black won’t hurt jack.”
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