Health What to do if a snake is coiled around your mates leg?

[CD Xbow]

After the recent death of a man while removing a snake coiled around his mates leg, I think we know what not to do - see article below

Queensland man in 60s dies after snake bite when removing reptile from friend’s leg

Ambulance service uncertain of the species that bit the man but says symptoms point to a brown snake

www.theguardian.com

In other reports the snake is described as an Eastern Brown, allegedly the most venomous snake in Oz and he was also described as being bitten on the chest - all of which contributed to him dying very rapidly. So what should you do?

 

[Taylor]

Aren't you supposed to stay as still as possible while slowly losing your mind in terror, keeping your hands away from it but making sure it doesn't go up your shorts?

 

[CD Xbow]

Aren't you supposed to stay as still as possible while slowly losing your mind in terror, keeping your hands away from it but making sure it doesn't go up your shorts?

I worked very hard to avoid the trouser snake gag.

 

[kickazz]

I worked very hard to avoid the trouser snake gag.

You almost gagged on a trouser snake?

 

[CD Xbow]

You almost gagged on a trouser snake?

I'm trying to keep it serious.
Don't Panic is probably the first thing but also the hardest.

 

[kickazz]

Yes it is a serious situation and I don't think we know what we should do.

If a go running (I don't take a phone) and get bitten I know I should stay still, perhaps use my shirt as a bandage and then ask a passer-by to get an ambulance.

But if it's late or no-one comes, how long do I wait? Do I walk slowly to a road? What is the plan?

 

[CD Xbow]

Yes it is a serious situation and I don't think we know what we should do.

If a go running (I don't take a phone) and get bitten I know I should stay still, perhaps use my shirt as a bandage and then ask a by-passer to get an ambulance.

But if it's late or no-one comes, how long do I wait? Do I walk slowly to a road? What is the plan?

Turns out it is even stranger - Donny Morrison, who pulled the snake off his friend is said by his family to have no venom in him - so he didn't die from snake bite, rather something else, odds at his age are most likely for a stroke or a cardiac event.

Wild twist after snake bite death in Queensland

Donny Morrison, 68, was killed when the snake - believed to be an eastern brown - bit him after he pulled it off a friend at a rural Queensland school celebration.

www.dailymail.co.uk

If you are a runner in an area where snake bit is a significant risk you should take your phone and large crepe bandage with you when you run. Adequate pressure immobilisation can keep the venom contained within the lymphatics of a limb for many, many hours and buys you time to get to a hospital (with antivenom) This is a pretty good description of the technique.

First aid: Information on pressure immobilisation first aid

Pressure immobilisation first aid for venomous bites and stings was developed in Australia in the 1970s.

mydr.com.au

Thus the crepe will give you time and phone lets you call for help immediately.
Remember it's estimated thousands of bites happen each year, about 500 go to hospitals and of that, only 2 manage to die. They are usually idiots (young men doing really stupid things) or incompetent, eg the very young or old. The last snake bite death I had knowledge about was the poor old lady from Kew who didn't realise she'd been bitten. Experienced toxinologists report deaths from snake bite, in general, improves the gene pool.

Still I am not sure what to do if I see that snake sliding up my mates leg. Don't panic, don't upset the snake, take my pulse and try not to have a heart attack. What next?

 

[Hamingja]

Still I am not sure what to do if I see that snake sliding up my mates leg. Don't panic, don't upset the snake, take my pulse and try not to have a heart attack. What next?

Stomp on the ground like a mofo from a semi safe distance and hope it takes off the other way and doesn't go further up your mates leg instead?!

 

[ferball]

Yes it is a serious situation and I don't think we know what we should do.

If a go running (I don't take a phone) and get bitten I know I should stay still, perhaps use my shirt as a bandage and then ask a passer-by to get an ambulance.

But if it's late or no-one comes, how long do I wait? Do I walk slowly to a road? What is the plan?

You want to minimise movement and any restrict all fluid flow from the bite area.

So if someone else will be along soon sit and wait for them and maybe apply pressure just above the bite.

 

[JoondalupJ]

After the recent death of a man while removing a snake coiled around his mates leg, I think we know what not to do - see article below

Queensland man in 60s dies after snake bite when removing reptile from friend’s leg

Ambulance service uncertain of the species that bit the man but says symptoms point to a brown snake

www.theguardian.com

In other reports the snake is described as an Eastern Brown, allegedly the most venomous snake in Oz and he was also described as being bitten on the chest - all of which contributed to him dying very rapidly. So what should you do?

I don't think that bloke actually died from any bite. If its the bloke I remember reading about only the last month or so?

The brown snake I think doesn't have the powerful venom of a tiger snake but I think the difference is that Browns have injecting fangs as opposed to Tigers where the venom is squeezed out of the poison ducts onto the skin. Not as much gets in.

Not sure how true that is, but tigers venom is very potent, Brownys inject everything. And the little ones babies will give you the whole duct full of venom where as sometime king browns will just nip a quick "clear off human" , warning bite?
But don't take the chance either?

 

[MrsBlueSky]

I don't think that bloke actually died from any bite. If its the bloke I remember reading about only the last month or so?

The brown snake I think doesn't have the powerful venom of a tiger snake but I think the difference is that Browns have injecting fangs as opposed to Tigers where the venom is squeezed out of the poison ducts onto the skin. Not as much gets in.

Not sure how true that is, but tigers venom is very potent, Brownys inject everything. And the little ones babies will give you the whole duct full of venom where as sometime king browns will just nip a quick "clear off human" , warning bite?
But don't take the chance either?

What did he die from?
I agree with you many snake bites leave little if any venom - just the fang marks.
Presumably the Qld man did have bite marks and it would have been easy I would imagine to test if poison was in his bloodstream and muscle damage.

 

[JoondalupJ]

What did he die from?
I agree with you many snake bites leave little if any venom - just the fang marks.
Presumably the Qld man did have bite marks and it would have been easy I would imagine to test if poison was in his bloodstream and muscle damage.

I think he actually had a medical emergency as they say, the heart attack was his problem, maybe the snake never bit him or he got a shock. I guess they'd check for poison in him , maybe they haven't.

 

[Nugett]

Stand back and reassure them that Steve Irwin couldn’t be any prouder? Then video tape the entire thing and post it on YouTube.

 

[Bostonian]

I don't think that bloke actually died from any bite. If its the bloke I remember reading about only the last month or so?

The brown snake I think doesn't have the powerful venom of a tiger snake but I think the difference is that Browns have injecting fangs as opposed to Tigers where the venom is squeezed out of the poison ducts onto the skin. Not as much gets in.

Not sure how true that is, but tigers venom is very potent, Brownys inject everything. And the little ones babies will give you the whole duct full of venom where as sometime king browns will just nip a quick "clear off human" , warning bite?
But don't take the chance either?

Depends what time of the year it is too.

Out of hibernation is when they are most aggressive and their venom it's at its max toxicity.