Snakebite in the United States
Many estimates have been made of the number of bites of poisonous snakes that occur annually in the United States. The occurrence of poisonous snakebite has been nearly as badly underestimated as fatal results of their envenomations have been overrated. For important data on number of persons bitten by poisonous snakes in the United States, see the following: Allen and Swindell (1948:15); Githens (1935:172); Klauber (1956:811); Parrish (1963); Sowder and Gehres (1963:973); Stimson and Engelhardt (1960:153); Swaroop and Grab (1956:441); Swartzwelder (1950:579); Willson (1908:530); and Wood (1954b:937).
Judging from estimates made in several states, the number of poisonous snakebites in the United States would be about 5000 per year. In the region where the cottonmouth occurs there are approximately 2000 persons bitten annually by poisonous snakes. Of these approximately 39 per cent are copperhead bites, 30 per cent each are cottonmouth and rattlesnake bites, and I per cent are coral snake bites. These percentages vary considerably from place to place, because of the distribution and abundance of the eight species of poisonous snakes whose ranges overlap that of the cottonmouth.
According to Parrish (1963), about 14 people die of snakebite each year in the United States. Of these deaths, about 6.6 per cent are attributable to cottonmouths, 77.0 per cent to rattlesnakes, and 1.6 per cent to coral snakes; 14.8 per cent are unidentified. Almost half of the fatalities are in persons less than 20 years of age, the high mortality rate being partially due to the greater ratio of venom to body weight.