Or is there antidote that's used today?thanks all!

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 23, 1999

Answers

The cut and suck method should not be used for the following reasons; the human mouth is filled with VERY nasty germs, the cutting only dilutes the vacuum (pulls misc. fluids, not just the venom), you can NOT prduce enough vacuum to remove any significant venom (even if you could - you want venom in your mouth?), etc. P.S. those little rubber cups are worthless also.

Go to a good outdoors shop or a Boy Scouts store and purchase Sawyer's (or other brands under license) The Extractor. It looks like a giant hypodermic. You attach one of four cups (bee, snake, spider, large) to the pump, retract the plunger, put the cup over the wound site, despress plunger to create the vacuum. Leave on as long as possible. After 30 minutes, quit. You will have extracted as much venom as is possible. If the bite occurs in a hairy area, shave the hair to get a good seal. On bee stings, leave the stinger in the would if you can extract quickly since the bee stinger keeps the wound channel open.

An Epi-pen or other epinephrin source is good to have if somebody goes into anaphlactic shock from venom. The epinephrin is good as long as it is totally clear. Epinephrine turns brown when it breaks down. Never store it in a car since heat will age it quickly. Read instructions CLOSELY! Particularily WHERE to inject it. Sometimes the epinephrine will do the trick, most of the time it just buys you 15-30 minutes until you can get the victim to a hospital. A child's dose is based on weight. Never ever double dose unless the first dose does nothing. Repeat dose if anaphlactic shock reoccurs after the first dose wears off. This Rx requires a perscription.

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), August 23, 1999.

zoobie, As an old zen master once said, "Easier to avoid snake than to treat snakebite." Stay away from snakes, is my suggestion...

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWAyne@aol.com), August 23, 1999.

ZOOBIE:

You're in luck -- hi-tech comes to the rescue of the Zen monastery invaded by venomous snakes, scorpions, & spiders. Buy yourself a "low" (only 25,000 volts!!)-voltage stun gun. Read about how to use it on other threads in this forum (or it may be in the 'Classic' forum. Also I've got a big thread on it a year ago on y2k.entrewave.com.

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), August 24, 1999.

The book about turmeric that I've referred to on other threads says that turmeric is very effective at neutralizing the toxins of all poisonous bites and stings. A whopper dose immediately. Like a heaping tablespoon full, in warm liquid. Even scorpion stings. I don't live where these critters do, so not speaking from personal experience. The other things I have tried turmeric for after reading this book, though, were helped by it. Shivani

-- Shivani Arjuna (SArjuna@aol.com), August 24, 1999.

Go to a camping supply store (or online at Campmor) and buy The Extractor made my Sawyer. It works to extract venom... insects and snakes. It will remove ticks also

It's not expensive. It's a good item for your first aid kit.

-- walt (longyear@shentel.net), August 24, 1999.

thanks to all that helped,and Mara,thanks for that advice to not get bitten,hey,yeah!Now that's germain!yeah,baby!

-- ueshiba (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 26, 1999.

Shivani,

Like what other things? Besides yummy food, I mean... I find this very interesting, please elaborate!

-- Arewyn (isitthatlate@lready.com), August 27, 1999.

My local Wal-Mart carries the Extractor kit for $11.95. Might wanna hit WallyWorld near you and check the camping section. And yes, these things do work pretty well.

The man who ain't sucking a DAMN thing outta no bitemark, known as...

-- OddOne (mocklamer_1999@yahoo.com), August 28, 1999.