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Published Friday, May 1, 2020
Once bitten . . .
By Victoria Torley
Here we are, self-isolating and spending more and more time on the porch, patio, or out in the garden. Since my gardener recently encountered a 1.5 meter terciopelo – safely – I thought that I would dedicate this column to information from the Clodomiro Picado Institute which produces anti-venoms here in Costa Rica. What follows comes directly from the Institute’s site with additional comments in brackets.
What should be done in case of being bitten by a snake?
• Calm the person down and put them to rest. [To aid calming, have the person inhale through the nose for a slow 3 count, then exhale through the mouth on a slow 3 count. This gives the person something to concentrate on.]
• Clean the bitten area with soap to disinfect it.
• Remove any tourniquet that has been made.
• Keep the person hydrated.
• Immobilize the bitten limb.
• And most importantly, transfer the patient immediately to the nearest hospital or health center in the area so that they receive the anti-venom serum as soon as possible.
What should NOT be done if a snake bite occurs?
• DO NOT make incisions at the bite site, as the risk of infection and bleeding will be favored.
• DO NOT apply tourniquets. The tourniquet hinders blood supply and therefore causes damage to muscle tissue. [A tourniquet can make things worse by concentrating venom in the tissue around the bite.]
• DO NOT apply cold compresses or ice, as they could worsen the local lesions caused by the poison, especially from bites caused by species in the family of the “slides.” [Ice also limits circulation and concentrates venom around the bite.]
• DO NOT administer chemicals or extracts of plants or animals by any means to the patient, because until now their efficacy has not been scientifically proven and the time lost in carrying out this type of treatment is counterproductive for the affected person.
• DO NOT administer alcoholic beverages.
• DO NOT suck with your mouth. This could favor infections at the bite site.
Hospital protocols in case of venomous snake bite
It is not necessary to take the snake to the hospital to be identified, the medical staff will determine what treatment should be applied based on the person's signs and symptoms.
If the snake that caused the bite is a coral (family Elapidae), medical personnel will administer anti-coral serum.
If the snake that caused the bite belongs to the Viperidae family, medical staff will administer multipurpose serum.
[Be certain to tell hospital staff if the patient is allergic to eggs or horses as many anti-venoms are grown in eggs or harvested from horses. In fact, list all known allergies and regular medications when the patient is admitted.]
The snake most likely
| This is the terciopelo, Bothrops asper, aka fer-de-lance, the venomous snake most often seen and most often the biter. The terciopelo is a pit viper and has a triangular head.
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The other common biters are the coral snake (head not triangular) and the eyelash viper (triangular head). Immature snakes are as dangerous as the 1.5 meter snake my gardener found.
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Editor’s note: For more information on this article or about gardening, Ms. Victoria Torley gardener columnist can be reached at victoriatorley1@gmail.com.
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