Don’t play with snakes it can cost you life

Playing with the snake in Goa is very common, every village has one snake catcher, and they are well trained by themselves and many a time they do their job properly, but sometimes catching a snake can be deadly, in a recent case of yesterday a professional snake catcher from south Goa died suspected of snake bite after he tried to catching the snake.

According to the news, one Govind Desai from Aquem in Margao died of suspected snake bite on Sunday while he was attempting to catch a snake that appeared in the midst of a party at Khareband, Margao, on Sunday. Sources have informed that Desai had gone to a party by an association of which he was member. While the party was in full swing someone witnessed a snake in the room, people panicked and started running around, some of them even tried to kill the snake but Desai intervened and suggested that he will take care of the situation by catching the snake which according to him appeared to be harmless. Somehow Desai managed to catch the snake with his bare hands and subsequently he released it outside the venue. But soon after that his body started becoming pale and was rushed to the nearby Hospicio Hospital in Margao, where he died.

Margao police has registered the case as unnatural death. This is not the first case of snake bite; recently there was a case of snake by to one school student while cleaning the playground, due to the rainy days snakes tend to come out from their hideouts and start scrolling in the nearby garden or even in some residences. One has to be very much cautious of this and should never ever try to catch the snake with your bare hands, if you are professional snake catcher it is advisable to use the heavy duty gloves and boots and in case you are not then better to call the snake forest department for the help on the following telephone number 0832 222 5926

In case you suffer the snake bite after taking all the precautions then you must do the following:-

• Do not use a tourniquet.
• Do not cut into the snake bite.
• Do not use a cold compress on the bite.
• Do not give the victim any medications unless directed by a doctor.
• Do not raise the area of the bite above the victim’s heart.
• Do not attempt to suck the venom out by mouth (CDC, 2012).

First Aid & Treatment

Snake venom is actually a kind of highly evolved salivary secretion which is used to both kill and digest prey. Venom was not made against man. There are two basic types of snake venom. One affects the nerves (venom of cobra and common krait); the other one blood (that of vipers). Polyvalent anti-venom serum is effective against the bites of the Big Four – cobra, saw-scaled viper, common krait, Russell’s viper. If a venomous snake bites someone, just remember two things: don’t panic; go to a hospital and get anti-venom serum.

Keep the victim calm, restrict movement.

• Assure the victim and do not let him panic. When under panic, it will enhance heart rate and would circulate the venom faster in the body.
• Remove any rings or constricting items; the affected area may swell.
• Stop lymphatic spread of venom – bandage firmly, splint and immobilise. The limb, which has been affected by the bite, should be immobilized with splint. Victim to keep the hand as close to the level of the heart as possible – this reduces the flow of venom to major areas. A compression bandage (as firm as you would put on a sprained ankle) should cover the entire limb with the splint. The wrapping should start from the digits and extend till armpit in case of hands and groin in case of bite to the leg.
• A snakebite victim is under tremendous psychological stress. It is necessary to keep the patient warm. However, no alcohol/hot beverages should be given.
• •The patient should not be allowed to exert himself in any manner. Do not allow the victim to eat or to drink water in order to keep metabolism at low rate. No water No food is the golden rule.
• • DO NOT COVER THE BITE AREA AND PUNCTURE MARKS. The wound should be gently cleaned with antiseptic.
• • Try to aspirate the venom out of the puncture marks with standard suction devices. It has been identified that a suction more than 270 mmHg can initiate the flow from the puncture marks. Suction instruments often are included in commercial snakebite kits. But, the suction should be applied within 5 minutes of the bite.
• The only remedy for venomous snakebite is the anti-venom serum, which is available at most government hospitals and public health centers. Some private nursing homes have also started stocking it and treat snakebite cases.

How NOT to Treat Snakebite

• No ice or any other type of cooling action on the bite. Research has shown it to be potentially harmful.
• No electric cable, string or rubber tourniquets to be used, this cuts off blood flow completely and may result in amputation of the affected limb.
• No electric shock, this method is under study and has yet to be proven effective. It could harm the victim.
• No incision in the bite site. Such measures have NOT been proven useful and causes needless additional injury, loss of blood, infection, waste of time.
• Do not burn the wound, as it would not have any effect on the venom, which has already entered the bloodstream.
• Do not suck the wound with mouth. A suction device may be applied over the bite to help draw venom out of wound without making cuts.
• Potassium permanganate should never be used.

Source: Various Sources