When it comes to summer and autumn when snakes and insects are infested again, friends living in the south may “unexpectedly” encounter these elusive cold-blooded hunters from time to time, and sometimes they are accidentally attacked by them “Accidental injury” – A few years ago, a young girl in Jinhua, Zhejiang was accidentally bitten by a snake on the side of the road. The girl grabbed the “snake that caused the accident”, which was more than one meter long, and took it to the hospital for treatment…
The friends in the hospital were stunned! Image source: Jinhua Evening News
The girl holds a live snake and calmly fills out the medical records. Image source: Jinhua Evening News
After the incident was reported, there were different opinions in the comment area: some people admired the girl for her “brilliantness”, some worried for her, and many netizens believed that this was the “correct operation”, and only Antibodies can be produced only by catching the “causing snake”.
In fact, emergency treatment after a snake bite is very important, and improper methods may aggravate the injury. So, do you really need to “carry the snake to the doctor” after being bitten by a snake? What misconceptions do people have about how snakebites are handled?
To this end, we consulted the staff of the Guangdong Provincial Institute of Biological Resources Application and a member of the Guangzhou Wildlife Emergency Response Team – Zhang Liang, and asked him to talk about “being bitten by a snake” those things”.
As a “professional snake catcher” with many years of experience in snake ecology, field observation and identification, Zhang Liang often solves problems for residents who have “snake infestations” at home, and helps netizens identify “Snake slices” pressed into “QR codes” on the road. Image source: Zhang Liang
What should we do when we encounter “snake infestation”?
How to avoid being bitten by it?
Zhang Liang: Snakes are actually very afraid of people. Usually, as long as they don’t take the initiative to provoke them, they won’t attack. Many bites occur when people accidentally step on or catch a snake.
Frightened “bluff” snake (non-venomous). Image source: Zhang Liang
Try to accompany you when you are outdoors, and don’t wear shorts or slippers when walking in places with lots of vegetation or near water sources. If you encounter a snake, you should avoid it as soon as possible. Even if you don’t intend to irritate the snake, don’t fight it, but run as far as possible. The snake may catch up a few meters, but it won’t keep chasing it. .
If you encounter a snake indoors, you should leave the room quickly and close the doors and windows, call 110 or the local wildlife protection office, seek professional help, try not to Handle it yourself.
If you are bitten by a snake,
How should a wound be properly managed?
Sucking, burning, tying, cutting, etc.Is the law advisable?
Zhang Liang: First of all, do not squeeze the wound with your hands, which will not only prevent the venom from being squeezed out, but will also accelerate the absorption of the venom. Negative pressure devices such as cupping can be used to suck out the venom, and it is not recommended to take venom by mouth unless it is an emergency. Because if there is an opening in the lips or mouth, the absorption of the venom will be accelerated after sucking. Fire wounds are also not the correct way to deal with them, and will speed up the necrosis of wound tissue.
Negative pressure equipment can be used to “drug”, but burning wounds is not recommended. Schematic diagram: provided by Zhang Liang (Xin Yang drawing)
The method of tying wounds was proposed many years ago, but more research cases later showed that ligation does not work in snakebite first aid. Not only that, the local swelling caused by excessive ligation will also increase the permeability of blood vessels and promote the absorption of snake venom. Therefore, the prohibition of partial ligation has become the current mainstream view.
Also, knife cuts are not suitable for all bites. If you are bitten by the five-step snake or the original spearhead pit viper, it is forbidden to create. Their venom is a blood circulation poison, which will dissolve human platelets, and if the incision is too large, it will cause continuous bleeding and cause secondary damage.
Deinagkistrodon acutus, the legendary “five-step snake”, is distributed in many provinces in southern my country and inhabits near valleys and streams of 300-800 meters. Its venom belongs to the “blood circulation” Poisonous,” and it bleeds continuously after being bitten. Image source: Zhang Liang
If you are bitten by a snake, the first thing to do is stay calm and don’t run around. Immediately Rinse the inside and outside of the wound with clean water, beverages or even urine, debride the wound with iodine and antiseptic alcohol if possible, and use a clean tissue and handkerchief to absorb the exudate, and go immediately after simple treatment Seek medical treatment at a nearby hospital.
If you don’t know the origin of the “snake”,
Like this brave “girl”,
Take it to the hospital?
Zhang Liang: Haha, this girl is really amazing! However, if you do not have professional snake-catching skills and equipment, it is not recommended to catch snakes with bare hands. Fortunately, it was just a non-toxic red-chained snake this time. If you really encounter a poisonous snake, you are likely to be bitten again in the process of capturing and carrying, causing secondary damage and aggravating the injury.
The best way is to memorize the characteristics of the “snake” as much as possible or take a picture of the “snake” for identification by a doctor or professional. In an emergency, you can kill the snake and bring it back. Try to avoid catching live snakes with your bare hands.
Professional Zhang Liang demonstrates the process of catching snakes. Image source: Zhang Liang
It was mentioned that only catching live snakes
To make serum to save lives,
Antivenom is really “Snake”
Venom made?
Zhang Liang: This is also a misunderstanding. The production of snake venom takes a long time. Antivenoms injected in hospitals are already prepared , not made with the venom of the “partner snake”. Moreover, the same type of snake venom can use the same serum, and it does not necessarily have to be a one-to-one correspondence – for example, anti-pit viper venom serum is suitable for pit vipers, protospearhead pit vipers, bamboo leaf green snakes, and ironhead snake bites. Effect.
Finished antivenoms for different types of venomous snakes. Image source: Zhang Liang
In addition, the degree of injury after a venomous snake bite is related to the strength of the poison and the detoxification situation, and there are differences between them, so being bitten by a venomous snake does not necessarily mean poisoning. . Hospitals and doctors who treat snakebites must have the ability to identify common venomous snakes, otherwise misuse of serums can cause allergies. some internationalThe advice above is to inject serum only as a last resort, otherwise the allergic reaction may sometimes be more serious than the snake venom itself.
As a senior snake enthusiast and researcher, snakes have become Zhang Liang’s “best partner” in life. Image source: Zhang Liang
Actually, there are many misconceptions about snakes. As an intermediate link in the food chain of the ecosystem, snakes occupy an indispensable position in the energy flow cycle of material transformation. They also have peculiar and colorful appearances and important ecological significance. Rather than being overly fearful of snakes or even actively harming them, it is better to put aside prejudice and live peacefully with them.
Author: Yuki Xiaoqi
Edit: Xiaomi
Image source: Jinhua Evening News