Usually it is only the young, old, and weak who succumb to snake bite.
Symptoms.—The symptoms of snake bite of all poisonous species are similar. At first there is some pain in the wound, which rapidly increases together with swelling and discoloration until death of the part may ensue. The vital centers in the brain controlling the heart and breathing apparatus, are paralyzed by the poison. There is often drowsiness and stupor, and the breathing is labored and the pulse weak and irregular, with faintness and cold sweats.
Treatment.—The treatment consists first in keeping the poison out of the general blood stream. With this purpose in view a handkerchief, piece of cotton clothing, string, or strap should be immediately wound about the bitten limb above the wound, between it and the heart. This will retard absorption of the poison only for a time; it is said twenty-five minutes. The knife is the most effective means of removing the poison by making an oval cut on each side of the wound so that the two incisions meet and remove all the flesh below and around the wound. Bleeding should be encouraged to drain out the poison. The skin containing the wound may be lifted up, and the whole wound cut out by one snip of the scissors where this is practicable.
Some advocate burning out the wound with a red-hot wire, or darning needle, instead of cutting, but the treatment is less effective and more painful. Rambaud forbids burning. As to the general condition: if stupor is a prominent symptom the patient must be made to move about and exercise to keep alive his nerve centers. Otherwise one tablespoonful of whisky may be given in half a cup of hot water hourly, to sustain the weakened heart and respiration until recovery ensues.
The most effective treatment, according to Dr. George Rambaud, Director of the Pasteur Institute of New York City, is thorough washing of the wound (after it has been opened with the knife) with freshly prepared solution of chloride of lime, in the proportion of one part of lime to sixty of water. The burning of a wound is bad practice. If necessary, chloride-of-lime solution should be injected into the tissues around the wound. One about to go into a place where the most venomous snakes are found should inject into himself a dose of Calmette's antivenomous serum every two or three weeks as a means of prevention. If the serum is used, whisky should not be given in the treatment of one who has been bitten, for the anti-venene is a powerful cell stimulator.
Calmette, the Director of the Pasteur Institute in Lille, France, several years ago discovered antivenomous serum. That serum is efficient for the bites of most of the venomous snakes of different countries, including the rattlesnake, cobra, python, etc.
It is prepared in the dry form so that it can be carried easily, and will keep almost indefinitely. The proper course to be followed by persons going into countries infested by venomous snakes is always to have on hand a few doses of it. Its value has been positively demonstrated within the last few years in India, where it is used in the British Army, as well as in other countries.
In the fluid form it should be used hypodermically, a dose of ten cubic centimeters being injected within eighty or ninety minutes of the reception of the poison.
DOG BITE OR CAT BITE. (See Hydrophobia, Vol. V, p. 264.)
First Aid Rule 1.—Make sure animal is mad. Send patient to Pasteur institute if one is within reach.