Statistically, about 48,000 people a year bitten in the United States. Of these, about 8,000 are from poisonous snakes and an average of 10 people a year die because they are cared for improperly.
Worldwide, about 40% of the time people are bitten by poisonous snakes no venom passes.
85% of the time only enough venom passes to make the victim sick.
15% require critical care in the acute phase of the poisoning
In the Florida series, about 10 people per year were bitten by a cottonmouth while reaching over the side of a boat to pull up a string of fish. Cottonmouths inflict most of their bite under the water, on top of the water, or near the water.
The height of snake season is between April and October, peaking between July and August.
Snakes are generally less active at temperatures less than 50-60 degrees, or greater than 80 degrees.
70-77% of all bites occur between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM, peaking between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM.
Anatomically 60% of all bites occur to the lower extremity 38% to the upper extremity, and 2% to unidentified sites.
The cardinal signs and symptoms of pit viper envenomation include: burning pain (the commonest, earliest sign), puncture wound (50% of the time accompanied by a bloody ooze), swelling, skin discoloration, nausea and vomiting, minty, metallic, rubbery taste in the mouth, sweating, chills, numbness and tingling of the mouth, face, scalp, and wound site, ecchymosis and production of blebs and blisters, erythema and edema progressing from the wound site, weakness, vertigo, haematemesis epistaxis, muscle fasiculations, paralysis, shock, convulsions, loss of sphincter control, melena haematuria, and renal shutdown. Envenomation may include some or all of these symptoms, depending on the severity of envenomation.
Death can occur up to several days following the bite, or in as little as two hours.
In pit viper envenomation the average death occurs in two days.
If the bite is inflicted in an artery, vein, lymphatics, or a nerve, death will occur in 30 seconds to 10 minutes.
If the victim does not die within the first 10 to 30 minutes, you have excess of 12 hours to get to proper medical help; in most cases, severe complications or death will not occur if proper medical protocol is followed.
Maynard recommends the following:
A. Do not apply a tourniquet ! B. Do not cut and suck ! C. Do not apply ice !
