Venomous snake

“ And assuredly the remedies are generally so severe as to be in themselves sufficiently terrifying. ‘No time for reflection;’ ‘no mercy must be shown,’ declares Sir Joseph Fayrer, in describing the incredible rapidity with which the venom inoculates the blood ‘in a moment of time.’ Where a deep wound has been inflicted by a highly venomous snake on a small animal, death has been known to occur in a few seconds, especially if the bite were on a large vein or an artery. Therefore if the bite be on a limb, to tie a ligature is the first thing to be done. ”

“ It is very difficult to specify, even within broad limits, the dose of venom necessary to kill a human being. The quantity of poison introduced by the bite of a venomous snake depends, as has already been stated, upon a large number of factors, and, very fortunately, this quantity is not always sufficient to cause death. Thus in India, that is to say in the region in which snakes are most numerous and most dangerous, the mean mortality seems scarcely to exceed 35 to 40 per cent., so far as it is possible to judge from official statistics. ”

“ Clinical Features of Snake Bite Envenoming
A widespread belief is that snake bites inevitably result in envenoming. However, bites by nonvenomous snakes are common and bites by venomous species are not always accompanied by the injection of venom (dry bites) . A large survey conducted in ten hospitals of southern Nepal revealed that envenoming occurred in only 10% of the victims [10] . In Kerala, India, only 219 out of 635 patients (34%) with proven snake bite developed signs of systemic envenoming [18] . ”

“ When a poisonous snake wishes to seize its prey, or strike an enemy, it raises its head, and depresses the lower and elevates the upper jaw in such a way that the fangs are directed straight forward. Then, with the quickness of a spring when it is released, the reptile makes a sudden dart and strikes its victim. After inflicting the wound it draws back, doubles up its neck and head, and remains prepared to strike again.
So rapid is the action of the venom, that the wounded animal falls to the ground almost immediately; it is forthwith stricken with paralysis, and dies in a few moments. ”

“ By degrees the snake moves, extends itself, and then assumes an erect posture, but without quitting the basket. It begins to appear uneasy and endeavours to recognise its surroundings; it becomes agitated and irritated, expands and spreads out its hood, breathes hard rather than hisses, and frequently and quickly shoots out its slender forked tongue; several times it makes a violent dart as though to attack the juggler; it frequently trembles, or rather gives sudden starts. ”

“ Although envenomation by one of the snakes of North America may present severe signs and symptoms, death is rare except in children or following envenomation by a large snake. However, permanent damage of an involved extremity is frequent following a bite by certain of the North American venomous snakes ”

“ SNAKE-CHARMERS.
In all the countries of the globe where poisonous snakes are formidable to man, there are certain individuals who profess to be secure from all ill-effects from the bites of these reptiles, whether because they are immune to venom, or because they possess secrets which enable them to cure themselves when they happen to have been bitten. Not unnaturally these secrets are sometimes turned to profitable account, and the possessors of them generally enjoy considerable popular influence, and are very highly venerated. ”

“ In hot countries, on the other hand, they attain large dimensions, their venom is much more active, and, although they hardly ever attack man, and in most cases avoid him, they cause a considerable number of fatal accidents.
It is sometimes a rather difficult matter to recognise from the mere appearance of a snake whether it is poisonous or not. Naturalists themselves are occasionally deceived. It is therefore useful to learn to distinguish the most dangerous species by their external characters, and to know in what countries there is a risk of their being encountered. ”

“ In arraying such a variety of enemies against the snake, nature has made ample amends for having endowed it with deadly weapons. Besides, the power possessed by venomous snakes only seems to us disproportionate; it is not really so, except in occasional individual encounters. Venomous snakes are always greatly outnumbered by non-venomous ones in the same district; at any rate this is the case on the pampas. ”

“ Field diagnostic tests for snake species identification do not exist and treatment mainly relies on the administration of antivenoms that do not cover all of the important venomous snakes of the region. ”

“ The assailant was compelled to disgorge his prey, but the victim was very dead.
The poison venom of the cobra, rattlesnake, bushmaster and puff adder is a great handicap on the social standing of the entire serpent family. Mankind in general abhors snakes, both in general and particular. The snake not actually known to be venomous usually is suspected of being so. It is only the strongest mental constitution that can permit a snake to go unkilled when the killing opportunity offers. ”

“ Although the gravity of a case of snake-poisoning can hardly be over-estimated, yet it must be considered full of promise that recovery may follow even the severe hæmorrhages of viperine poisoning. No wound inflicted by a venomous snake can be despised, yet even when symptoms have developed no case should be considered necessarily fatal. ”

“ The habitat frequently furnishes a key to the character of the snake. The venomous varieties choose by preference the rocky uplands, either open or sparsely wooded. The harmless snakes live almost exclusively in low swampy lands or along water courses. Venomous snakes are purely terrestrial. One was never known to ascend a tree. ”

“ The fresh flesh of the pigeon and the swallow, and owls’ feet burned, are good against snake-bites.
“If one has been bitten by a snake or by any venomous animal, another method of cure is to take salt fish and wine from time to time, so as to vomit in the evening. This remedy is chiefly 260 efficacious against the bite of the Chalcis, Cerastes, Seps, Elaps and Dipsas.”
In Equatorial America, and especially in India, a multitude of plants are credited with marvellous properties, which they possess only in the imagination of the snake-charmers or medicine-men by whom they are employed. ”

“ This we can understand from the indiscriminate use of such vernaculars as ‘adder,’ ‘jararaca,’ ‘cobra,’ as explained in previous chapters. Or, if undoubtedly a bite has been given by an undoubtedly venomous kind, it does not follow that a full charge of venom accompanied the bite. The glands may have been previously exhausted, the snake may have been feeble, or it might not have expended its poison. For among other marvels we are led to believe that vipers, perhaps also the elapidæ, have a control over their store of venom, and do not involuntarily expend it, that is, when forced to bite. ”

“ They represent the vast majority of living snakes, and may be mistaken for venomous snakes and/or involved in snake bite in South Asia. Rat snakes (Ptyas species, Coelognathus species) are large, rapidly moving snakes that are often confused with cobras. Most notoriously, several genera of small nonvenomous snakes share the same colour pattern as kraits [65] , [66] . Wolf snakes (Lycodon species) are of particular concern in this regard because some of them (e.g., Lycodon aulicus) are very common inside and around houses and bite aggressively if disturbed [17] . ”

“ The study of their venom, too, is of considerable interest, since it should lead to the quest of means of protection sufficiently efficacious to preserve us from their attacks.
Venomous reptiles are not always easy to distinguish from those devoid of any inoculatory apparatus. For this reason both classes alike have at all times inspired mankind with a lively dread, which is displayed among the various races in legends and religious beliefs.
In ancient days the cult of the snake occupied a prominent place. In Genesis the serpent is the incarnation of the Evil One, tempting and deceitful. ”

“ The ringhals, when excited, exudes a quantity of venom, which drips down the fangs and lodges behind the abrupt, horny, lower lip. Upon this the angry snake directs a blast of air through its extensible windpipe, with the effect that a jet of fine venom spray is emitted toward an enemy. This jet may reach a height of six feet. That the eyes are aimed at I have proved by experiment. If the poison reaches them blindness, which may be permanent, results. The bite of the ringhals is highly venomous, but the snake appears to prefer disabling its enemy by means of the spray of venom. ”

“ At the Pondicherry Hospital venom is collected in the following manner;168 The snake is brought by the snake-charmer in a chatty, a kind of earthern pot, covered with a rag, or half a calabash. Ensconced at the bottom of this receptacle, the reptile has a difficulty in making up its mind to emerge, which it does only after having been stirred up several times. Once it is outside the charmer forces the cobra to uncoil, and, while the animal is moving slowly along, fastens it to the ground by placing the end of a bamboo on its neck, quite close to the head. ”

“ And deservedly; for a venomous serpent is a terrible enemy: the direful venom of sin injected by "that old serpent, the Devil," is well symbolised by the most potent of all lethic agencies,—the poison of the rattlesnake or the cobra.
And yet in all ages there have been persons in the countries where the most venomous snakes abound, who have professed, and have been believed to enjoy, an absolute immunity from their bites, and even to exercise some inexplicable power over them, whereby their rage is soothed, and they are rendered for the time gentle and harmless. ”

“ Cantor’s experiments show that the venom of the Hamadryad is extremely rapid in its action. A dog usually dies a quarter of an hour after being bitten, and Nicholson states that he has seen an elephant bitten by a snake of this species die in three hours. ”

“ The practical lesson to be learnt from the establishment of the foregoing facts is that poisonous snakes of different species must never be placed in the same cage, for these animals sometimes bite each other, and may thus kill one another.
Simon Flexner and Noguchi80 have studied the action of the serums of Crotalus, Ancistrodon, and a non-poisonous species, the pine snake (Pituophis catenifer) , on the venoms of Naja, Ancistrodon, and Crotalus. They found that the serum of Crotalus rapidly dissolves the red corpuscles of man, the dog, rabbit, guinea-pig, sheep, rat, pigeon, and horse. ”

“ Nevertheless, in the Indian Peninsula alone, the Cobra, the Krait, and a few other extremely poisonous species of snakes cause every year an average of 25,000 deaths. The number of fatalities from the same cause is likewise considerable in Burma, Indo-China, the Dutch Indies, Australia, Africa, the West Indies and Tropical America generally.
The temperate regions of the globe are less severely affected; 3 but in North America the Rattle-snake and the Moccasin are especially deadly.
In France the Common Viper abounds in Jura, Isère, Ardèche, Auvergne, Vendée, and the Forest of Fontainebleau. ”

“ Grass Snakes and non-venomous snakes in general withstand doses of venom that in proportion to their weight are fairly large; nevertheless, as indeed we shall see in the sequel, they do not possess any real immunity. It is only poisonous snakes that are unaffected by enormous doses of their own venom, as has already been shown by Fontana, Weir Mitchell, and Viaud Grand Marais. They are, however, quite capable of being poisoned by snakes belonging to altogether different species ”

“ The Gaboon Viper is a savage snake, with very active venom, and its poison-glands are of the size of large almonds. It lives in virgin forests, among dead wood and rocks. I have several times met with it in manioc plantations on the edge of the woods. In broad daylight it is sluggish, moves somewhat slowly, and never attacks man. It bites only when surprised. ”

“ Various factors influence the amount of venom which is injected into the victim, i.e., smaller snakes have smaller fangs and less venom; strikes through clothing or footwear are less effective.
It has been estimated that there are fewer than 50 deaths due to snake bite in the United States in a year; most of these bites result from imprudent handling of venomous serpents. There has been no survey of snakebite in Kansas, but few deaths are reported annually. At times several years have elapsed without any deaths being reported. ”

“ The poison of venomous snakes is not only a defensive mechanism, but also a highly efficient food-getting device. Whereas some of the snakes strike and hold the prey within their jaws until the poison has rendered it helpless, others only strike and follow the trail to where the victim falls. ”

“ Snake-bite, death from, rapid putrefaction following, 211, 212. “ hypoleucocytosis accompanying, in lethal cases, 211, 212. “ mortality from, 2, 3, 38, 57, 100, 261, 363. “ non-lethal, suppuration following, 212. “ poisonous, treatment in domestic animals, 265. “““ men and animals, 259. “““ See also Serum therapeutics, antivenomous. Snake-charmers, 228. “ deaths from bites, 234. “ Egyptian, 228-229. ““ employment of Naja haje for performances, 61. “ Indian, 229-234. “ Libyan, 228. “ Roman, 228. “ safety in skill, 234. Snake-serum combined with snake-venom does not destroy red corpuscles, 220. ”