While picking mushrooms, you can accidentally meet a snake. About 7 species of poisonous snakes live in Our Country:
Common viper. This is the most common snake. Lives everywhere in Our Country.
Steppe viper. It is more common in the southern part of Our Country – in the steppe and forest-steppe zone: in the Rostov, Saratov regions, in Kalmykia, in the Caucasus, South Siberia.
Caucasian viper. Its range is the Greater Caucasus. In Our Country, it is found in Adygea and the Krasnodar Territory.
Common muzzle. Lives in the south of Our Country – from the lower reaches of the Don and Volga to the Primorsky Territory. Shchitomordnik stony, Shchitomordnik Ussuri live in the Far East.
Gyurza. In Our Country, you can meet her in Dagestan.
Tiger already. Found in the Far East.
Usually snakes are not aggressive and bite only in self-defense, therefore, bites are mainly experienced by persons trying to catch or kill a snake, more often children and adolescents. In most cases, they attack a person only if he accidentally touches them (sits or steps).
The severity of the symptoms will depend on the site of the bite – the closer it is to the head, the more dangerous. Bites on the hands or feet are not as dangerous, but they are the most common. Also, the presence of clinical signs is associated with air temperature – the higher the temperature, the stronger the symptoms.
When providing first aid to victims, constriction of the affected limb with a tourniquet, cauterization of the bite site with acids, alkalis, boiling oil, etc. are categorically contraindicated. All these methods not only do not weaken or delay the action of the poison, but, on the contrary, significantly increase both general and local manifestations of intoxication , contribute to the occurrence of a number of severe complications (necrotic ulcers, gangrene, etc.).
First aid should begin with the immediate vigorous suction of the contents of the wounds, which allows you to remove from 28 to 46% of all the poison introduced into the body. Suction can be done by mouth (snake venom that has fallen on intact mucous membranes does not cause intoxication). Suction should be continued for 15-20 minutes (in the first 6 minutes, about 3/4 of the entire extracted poison is removed).
After that, the wounds are treated with brilliant green, iodine or alcohol.
When providing first aid, the affected limb is immobilized and the victim is provided with complete rest in a horizontal position, which reduces the outflow of lymph containing poison from the affected part of the body.
Plentiful drink (tea, coffee, broth) is useful. Alcohol in any form is contraindicated. Of the medicines, antiallergic drugs are prescribed, which soothe and affect vascular tone.
Rapid delivery of patients to the nearest medical institution is important, where the earliest possible therapy with antivenom sera is possible.
Individual prevention of bites of poisonous snakes is provided by the protection of the limbs with high leather shoes and tight clothing, a thorough inspection of the parking lot or overnight stay.