The Brown Snake.

[sueoc]

Hiya,

A couple of mates of mine have come across these dreaded serpents recently,one in the Hills,and the other in Suburbia whilst working.Anyway,i was wondering what would i do if i got bitten by one,out in the sticks somewhere,on my own with no mobile phone,and no one around for miles!:shocked:Nightmares tonight i think!

[spanners]

From my wife (a doctor) (a bit theoretical) - Assuming you're bitten on the lower leg, fairly tightly bandage from toes to upper thigh and then strap both kegs together (I think this may make self transport a bit hard!). This will work for up to 8 hrs so you'll have time to get to a hospital. Don't panic was you need to reduce your heart rate / the rate the poison gets pumped around the body.

 

Me (the person that has to deal with the snakes whilst working alone in my fields and out riding) - Oh s**t I've been bitten = inc heart rate. Where are the sodding bandages I was told to bring = inc heart rate. I'm by myself and going to die painfully = inc heart rate. I'll have to run down to the hospital = inc heart rate. I thought it would at least get the dog first!

 

As long as you keep calm and get to a doctor / hospital its all OK. Dont wipe off the oozing venom as the hospital need it to swab to get the snake details. My kids asked their friends parents how comon was a bit in their childhood and the total was 0. I spend a lot of time on my land and out bush with friends - locals take snakes much more seriously than spiders but noone has been bitten - yet!

[sueoc]

Hmmm!Them nightmares still beckon!

[Guest tinkham_lee]

you could do what the aboriginal people do, get under a tree or in shade, and lie completely still for at least 8 hours, then get up and walk home.

Main priority is to get the heart rate down and pressure bandage the whole limb if possible, this will slow the blood flow down and allow the liver and kidneys to remove the venom without overwhelming them.

 

On a very serious note, why would you be in the middle of know where, on your own, without any sort of communication. this is asking for trouble.

If you ever go out into the bush or hills on your own, take a mobile phone. If you won't have signal, take a radio or sat phone and an EPIRB.

[Anne B]

I once met a guy who was mowing the grass up in Hawker in the Flinders Ranges, thought there was a stick in the way, picked it up to get rid of it, but unfortunately it was a death adder which turned round and bit him. The Flying Doctor was called, and he spent 6 months in hospital. My husband had met him before the bite and said he was a big strong bloke. After the snake bite he was very thin and frail looking. He said it was a long painful battle to survive as the venom broke down all the muscle tissue in his body, which then had to go through the kidneys.

 

As for having a mobile phone or sat phone with you when you go out into the bush, it's a great idea don't rely on them. There could be situations where you drop/lose/break/can't reach the phone. Always let somebody know where you are going and what time you expect to be back. That way you know that a search party would be sent out if you didn't get back on time. Many years ago I was in a car on a visit to Lake Frome (a salt lake in the middle of nowhere) and the guy driving managed to drive it into sand at the edge of the lake and the wheels got stuck. It was January and there was no shade (only low bushes). Luckily we managed to dig the car out, but we knew a search party would be sent out if we didn't arrive back in time. Another thing, always take plenty of water with you!