Snake Bite

[PeteC]

Learned something about this today from an announcement posted at my daughters school in Rayong.

Only three hospitals in the area; Bangkok-Pattaya, Bangkok-Rayong and Queen Sirikit attached to the Thai Naval base at Sattahip carry serum for the following:

Green Tree Viper, Russels Viper, Malaysian Pit Viper, Banded Krait, Rattlesnake (didn't know Thailand had any?), Common Cobra, King Cobra.

The other medium size hospitals in the area were only listed as having common Cobra serum.

Good idea if someone in HH checks what San Paulo has during a future visit. Hopefully they have all the above.

The notice also stated that really important that you KNOW what kind of snake bit you, or it's a real and live crap shoot in the emergency room as to what serum they give to you. There is no 'universal' snake bite serum. Pete

[Spitfire]

The notice also stated that really important that you KNOW what kind of snake bit you, or it's a real and live crap shoot in the emergency room as to what serum they give to you. There is no 'universal' snake bite serum. Pete

Yes, quite right Pete. If possible, take the snake with you to the hospital as they are often killed even if they bite someone. You can see how many snakes are around by simply noticing the multitudes of 'squished' snakes on the roads(more out of town really) at this sort of time of year.

I hear that a little known fact is that it is surprising how many Thais are killed in this fashion at 'rice gathering/cutting' time when they are in the fields working many miles from town and hospital. Snakes are there chasing the rats and mice, they're(snakes and mice/rats) everywhere.

[Norseman]

Rattlesnake (didn't know Thailand had any?),

You're right Pete - no rattlesnakes in Thailand.
At least they're not mentioned in my book of Asian snakes.

They cure snakebites in rural areas as follows; a learned person is chewing a bit of betel nut, he then say some magic words and at the same time blows on the wound. After 3 days the patient is cured.
(It worked for my wife when a snake bit her many years ago).

[hhfarang]

MrPlum, Know anything about magic effects of betel nut? (serious question, not a dig... thought you may have run across it in your study of herbal or natural cures.)

[redzonerocker]

They cure snakebites in rural areas as follows; a learned person is chewing a bit of betel nut, he then say some magic words and at the same time blows on the wound. After 3 days the patient is cured.
(It worked for my wife when a snake bit her many years ago).

no offence norseman, but there are a couple of questions that i would ask before i was remotely convinced of this remedy

was the snake that bit your wife definately a venomous one?
& if it were you that was bitten, & you knew for sure it was a venomous snake , would you trust this remedy?

saying that, if i was bitten by a venomous snake in the wilderness, with no medical facilities nearby, i would take any remedy on offer

[Norseman]

Lol RZR!!
I'm not sure I would thrust the rural method myself, but she was bitten by a cobra so I guess if your belief is strong enough you are safe.
Her sister too had an encounter with a cobra not long time ago and she was cured by the same man.

[Roel]

Probably a dry bite. Some poisonous snakes can control the injection of venom and prefer to save it for their prey. They bite out of fear or self defence but only to scare the "aggressor" and are not even trying to kill it. Also many (half) misses occur whereby no or hardly any venom is injected during these reflex bites.
Saw a program on National Geographic the other day. A Thai guy known as the snake doctor. He had been bitten several times. After being bitten he used to go to his garden and eat some leaves from a tree and drink whisky (I am not making this up). He said that helped. Until the day he did not get a dry bite of course. He died.

[JW]

Rat snakes are commonly mistaken as Cobras - they can "hood up" but not nearly as much as a Cobra and they are feisty - i have seen a few snakes on the golf course and the caddies always cry Cobra, if you take Cobra venom your not being saved by nuts!

If your given the wrong anti-venom your likely to be in a whole heap of trouble.

The Red Cross centre in Bangkok supply most of the anti venom in Thailand - i wonder if the red cross centre in Hua Hin carry stock - its something that should be found out.

[kendo]

This is a good site, http://www.siam-info.de/english/snakes_common.html
Personally anything like a snake and i am off,
A couple of years ago when our village farmers went to work, they would come home and realise they where loosing a lot of chickens, they captured and shot several snakes including a large Cobra problem solved and the snakes where eaten.

Kendo.

[PeteC]

Has anyone checked out what anti-venom your local hospital has since this thread last saw life in December? Pete

PS: I mention again as I killed yet another baby cobra in my driveway over this side this morning.

[PeteC]

This juvenile almost got me this afternoon. Hiding in the leaves along the wall near the garden water tap. Looking on the web and Kendo's above link I'm not sure what it is, although close to a Malaysian pit viper or a Russell's viper. Anyone know for sure? Pete

[Big Boy]

Wow Pete, do you always walk around with a sharp weapon at hand

[charlesh]

Looks like a member of the French aristocracy after an evening with Madame Guillotine ha, ha.
That German snake site is very limited as I have seen something similar several months back crossing the road. Head looks too small for a viper BUT i am not going to argue the toss either.

[PeteC]

Wow Pete, do you always walk around with a sharp weapon at hand

Actually, he waited for me while I went to the shed to get it. Pete

[charlesh]

Have a squizz at this rat snake site!
http://www.ratsnakes.com/gallery.html