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Beware of snakes: Expert
By ALISON ANIS
A VISITING PhD scholar from the Australian Venom Research Unit has warned the public and especially villagers in the Central province to be wary of poisonous snakes.
Dr David Williams, who is currently undertaking a snakebite research project in PNG issued the warning at this time of dry weather and heat.
He said Papuan Taipans, which are common in inland villages in the province and some parts of Port Moresby, usually come out at this time to look for water or places to cool off and most people go about doing their chores unaware of the consequences.
Mr Williams said the poisonous snakes were responsible for over 200 snakebite deaths in the Central province alone and villagers who were exposed to such danger, needed to be aware and take precautions whenever necessary.
“One the problems faced is the shortage of anti-venom vaccination. Usually you find that people living in the remote places don’t have access to such treatment and when this happens, lives are often at risk.”
Dr Williams was among 39 participants at the 11th The National Health Expo staged over two days at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby last weekend.
The snakebite project Dr Williams is undertaking is based at the University of Papua New Guinea’s School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Port Moresby.
The project has set out to develop and implement sustainable long-term strategies to address PNG’s substantial snakebite problem, and includes:
*Clinical research projects aimed at improving the current knowledge base and enabling the development of improved patient treatment protocols as a direct means of reducing death and injury;
*Scientific studies relating to the species of venomous snakes found in PNG;
*Development of a National Anti-venom Unit in collaboration with the National Department of Health and University of Papua New Guinea that will (a) create a long-term strategy for improving access to anti-venoms, and (b) reducing the costs of anti-venom;
*Establishment of a world-first annual training programme in the treatment of venomous bites and stings for Papua New Guinea’s doctors and health workers; and,
*A plan to teach safe, effective snakebite first aid to rural Papua New Guineans and to equip them with the basic materials needed for this life-saving intervention.
The Australian Venom Research Unit is an internationally recognised interdisciplinary research facility based at the University of Melbourne, which focuses on the problems of venomous injury in Australia and the Asia-Pacific.
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Well you've heard the name, Papuan Taipan, or Papuan black, most common in Rigo. In my area, rumors that was circulating 2years ago is that there was an antidote in the bush. Maybe true or not, might worth investigating. For generation, my people have lived with a known snake doctor, it has been passed on from father to son in a particular tribe and family, saved many lives.
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Interesting! so the method of removing tha snake venom was passed from father to son?
Well, I only know of the method where, as soon as the snake bites and blood oozes out, the other person sucks on the bite and spits the blood out. This is repeated a number of times. This has saved lives too.
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The problem,
Taipans don't just bite once. They fairly chew on you, or make repeated strikes.
Whilst their venom is not the most poisonous in the world, it is right up there with them. Couple this with the fact that they produce huge quantities of venom as well, and you have a fairly lethal combination. I think a Taipan can produce enough venom in one go, to kill a thousand adults. So in a remote area, your chances of survival are slim to nil.
I too would be interested to hear of any "natural" remedy.
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Since we are on this topic of Papuan black/taipan, I woud like to share this story with you all to shed some light on the first aid treatment of snake bites.
My friend's father (now a surgeon), while doing his ER rotation at PMGH one evening, was asked to attend to a snake bite patient who was rushed in from Goldie River Barracks outside POMCT, the PNGDF training depot. The patient was a young defence force recruit who was said to have been bitten by a Papuan taipan during a military exercise that night.
So the doc, picked up the patients's notes on the tray and quickly read what was written. The medical attendent who brought the patient in was a PNGDF medical orderly.
Here is what was written (the interesting part):
"snake bite to the left ear. torniquet tied between the bite site and the heart".
Wondering where would the torniquet be possibly be tied between the bite site - left ear - and the heart, the doc went to see the patient. Was it tied around the ear, the head or where?
Guess where the torniquet was tied.
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A casualty,
brought into a hospital in Brissie a few years back, had the whole night staff in hysterics.
It appears that this hapless nong, whilst somewhat inebriated at a party, elected to do a Fijian Fire Dance. He found out that this particular dance, was usually done by pre-pubescent boys. Why? Well, he set his fuzz on fire. He had first and second degree burns to the affected parts.
Regards......Ralph.
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I have had a few hilarious medical moments but I think the one I remeber best happened when was doing my surgery rotation at PMGH surgical acute care ward.
I was discharging a patient when I noticed another patient walking around in the ward. So told the sister, "that patient seems OK to me, why isn't he discharged?".
The sister in charge replied, "oh, doctor, he is a head injury patient."
Then, I said, "well, if he is a head injury patient, he should be comatosed or bed-ridden. But that fellow is walking".
na sister beckim gen, "a week ago he was admitted comatosed. Now that he is awake, he cannot remember his name, where he lives or any personal details. No wantoks looking for him either. So we have just kept him here".
so I said, "then at least put him on his bed. He might walk out the ward and get lost and people might think he is a lonlon from ward six" (the psychiatic ward).
Sister replied, "doctor do not worry, we have taken of care of that". And she pointed to a tag tied around the patient's wrist, "see that?"
I walked over and read what was written on a paper tag and tied firmly around the patient's right wrist, "IF LOST AND FOUND, PLEASE RETURN TO WARD 4C".
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I was an intern at St. Vincent's A&E, melbourne years ago. There was this builder that was rushed in coz he was losing a lot of blood to his left arm. As soon as they arrived, the stretcher guys brought him in and I was there with a nurse.
There was no senior doctor around so we did what we had to to stabilise him.
A few minutes later his skin colour turned bluish and he was having difficulty breathing. I decided to apply mouth to mouth to ease his breathing so I subconsciouly put my left hand over his mouth and my mouth to his nostrils and blow the air in. lol... That relieved him but I did it the wrong way..lol.. that was the incident that stayed fresh in my memory...
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I decided to search through my old man's records if there is anything on snake bites and indeed i found one.
Here is what the notes said:
SNAKE BITES
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Casualty will normally become emotional and agitated. Reassure and keep the casualty as still as possible. Be more concerned about the casualty than identifying the snake. Take seriously any information or complaint that a person, partucularly a child, has been bitten.
Symptoms & Signs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* Usually two punctures about 10mm apart, sometimes only a scratch on the skin.
* Swelling, reddening and bruising of the bitten area.
* Headaches, double vision and drowsiness.
* Nausea and diarrhoea
* Breathing difficulties with a pain or tightness in the chest
* Giddiness or faintness
Treatment
~~~~~~~~~
* Reassure and keep the casualty at rest
* Immediately apply a pressure bandage over the bitten area.
* Using a wide bandage firmly apply pressure from the bitten area down the limb, the back up the limb to grroin or armpit.
* Seek medical aid. Only take the snake to the hospital if no risk or time is involved.
Warning
~~~~~~~
* Never wash the venom off the skin as the venom can help in later identification
* Never cut or mutilate the bitten area
* Never try to suck venom out of the wound.
* Never use a constrictive bandage (torniquet)
There you have it. Some of the things people do are totally against these notes...lol...(am referring to the torniquet being tied around the neck and the method of sucking blood out of the wound, which I suggested..) In reality, when a snake bite occurs olgeta technique blo first aid bai vanish na ol man save mekim long laik blong ol yet..
Happy practising
This message has been edited by vortexPNG on May 19, 2007 3:34 PM
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Dr. Vincent Atua presented a paper last year at the symposium about educating villagers regarding the right method of bandaging and the amount of pressure (tightness) just to occlude lymphatic drainage but not arterial blood supply in snake bite patients.
If the patients are bitten on the limbs, I suppose the most common site is the lower part of the legs (but I don't have the real stats now) the most practical thing to educate a villager, would be to firmly bandage the entire leg & not just one part (tourniquet).
I think the difficult thing is to get the villager to understand the concept of lymphatic drainage. With tourniquet, the pressure is on only one portion thus occluding the arterial flow increasing the risk of necrosis of especially the toes.
WNM
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Yes Anon,
at the SMAC (Sports Medicine) at St Lucia Uni. They suggested the same technique.
Their suggestion, was to carry a wide crepe bandage for this purpose. But where would a viiager have one of these? They warned very strongly, against lacerating the wound with a scalpel or a knife. After all, an unskilled person with a scalpel, will probably do more harm than the snake did.
If you were binding up the limb with ordinary cloth, (a torn up sheet or curtain) it would be dubious whether an unskilled person would get the pressure correct. but I guess if it is tight enough to immobilize the limb, it is better than nothing.
Remember. If you are bitten by a snake, (Taipans excepted) there is no guarrantee that you are even going to get sick, let alone die. The snake may have just killed something for lunch, and have no venom left.
It has been my experience, that the bitten person often has a panick-attack. So they start hyperventilating, their pulse rate gets up near 200, and the say to themselves. "That snake musta been poisonous, and I am going to die, for I am getting dizzy already."
So the presctiption here is to treat them for hyperventilation, with a little BS thrown in. My trick was to tell them to put a paper bag over their nose and mouth, and breathe into it. The BS, was to tell them by getting less oxygen, the venom would go more slowly through their system. This calmed them down almost immediately, therefore the venom did move more slowly I guess. But at least you had time to get them to medical attention, without them dying of a heart attack first.
I think the reason for the panick-attack, is that most people have an irrational fear of snakes.
Regards......Ralph.
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Thia is out of topic, but I used to be scared of snakes until one time when my hubby killed a carpet snake. He told me to touch it(it was dead already). After so much sreaming and struggling with my hubby(he was trying his best to make me touch the snake), I managed to touch the snake.
From that time onwards, anytime I see a snake, it doesn't scare me, even if it is alive..
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that is called desensitization. Actually, I don't like snakes myself but I'm not desensitized yet, I suppose. In the therapy of people with phobias (intense fear of certain things or situations) gradual, exposure to minimal amounts or less intense situations can enable them to handle their bigger phobias.
WNM
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that is called desensitization. Actually, I don't like snakes myself but I'm not desensitized yet, I suppose. In the therapy of people with phobias (intense fear of certain things or situations) gradual, exposure to minimal amounts or less intense situations can enable them to handle their bigger phobias.
WNM
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I have a lot of work to be done to get rid of the phobias i have.
I can't stand snakes, frogs, spiders and all the creepy/crawlies. I wonder which is the easiest way to overcome this fear(am definitely not touching the snake). I have overcome the fear of heights, though.
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Well Cynthia,
a fear of something is not a phobia.
It is only a phobia, when it starts interfering with the normal conduct of your life. So a fear of snakes, or anything alien, or harmful, or poisonous, is normal. That is the normal response mechanism, that helps us to survive. One of the reasons that we are so sucessful as a species, is that we have more instincts, not less, as we persuade ourselves. We kid ourselves that our brain is so powerful, that we have overcome our instincts.
If that were true, one would not be afraid to touch a Carpet Snake, or a Green Tree Snake. For both are not venomous. So the best way to desensitize yourself to snakes is to get a pet one. If you are in a rural area, get a pet Carpet Snake, and raise it from a baby, until it is fully grown. You will then not be afraid of them any more, but hopefully maintain a sensible degree of caution, with the venomous ones.
When I was a very little boy, I decided that snakes were very pretty animals. So I decided never to kill one, unless I could not avoid doing so. If you touch one you will find: They are not slimy. (Frogs are slimy) Snakes are cool smooth and shiny. The sun reflects off their skins with various colours, depending on the angle the light strikes them. Incidentally, thay have about 400 Spinal Verterbra. That is why they are so flexible. We have about 26. A frog has seven. So it does not bend at all.
Fascinating animals......Ralph.
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Mi amigo, somewhere in this room there is a frog prince that has to turn into a prince so I will stroll down to lilly pond and see if I can find him. After the spell is broken, my next assignment will be a Redback spider for a pet..
Hasta luego mi hermano
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Buenos Noches mi hermana,
you have to be careful of this frogs into princes thing.
A young lad found a frog crying in a pond at the bottom of his garden. The frog explained that it was really a beautiful princess, who had been turned into a frog by an evil witch. The frog explained furthur that the spell could be broken. All it required, was for the young lad to put the frog in his bed overnight, and it would turn back into a Princess.
The young lad readily complied with the frog's request. So, in the morning, when his parents came in to wake him, there was this beautiful girl in his bed.
And you know. Right to this very day. His parents don't believe one word of that story.
Good luck with the spiders......Ralph.
This message has been edited by Rishika on May 31, 2007 9:49 AM
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Hi Cynthia,
I used its scientific name, so we all know which toad I am referring to.
The Cane-toad venom seems to be a mixture of venoms, that primarily affect the heart. Animals ingesting the venom, die of heart failure. The venom can be absorbed through the mucus membranes, like through the eyes and mouth.
Flushing out the affected areas with copious quantities of water seems to work OK. There have been no reported deaths of humans in Australia. The poison glands on their backs, are able to spray poison for up to two metres. The poison has hallucinogenic affects. In fact, some dogs will lick Cane-toads to get small doses of the poison. They appear to get high on it.
So, if you are handling Cane-toads, wear eye protection and plastic gloves.
Regards......Ralph.
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Hell Lynda,
I hope I don't come over as a know-it-all. That is not my intention.
It is just that I have been around for many years now, and I have always reagarded any day of my life in which I don't learn something new, as a day I have irrevocably wasted. Education is only starting when you leave school. Not only that, but I am interested in everythiing that happens around me. I am still as curious about everything, as I was when I was 10 or 11. The day I cease to be, I will surely die.
So you couple an insatiable curiosity about everything, with an irrepressible sense of humour, and a memory which has 90% recall (which can be a nuisance) and you have me.
I think our ability to discuss things, and exchange ideas, is what truly sets us apart from the other animals on this planet. Makes us human, I guess. I find people like scg, kolwan, and Dr Who, very interesting to discuss things with. They have a lot of specialized knowledge, which I don't have. Due to the nature of my work, I tend to be more a generalist, than a specialist in any one area.
Once again. I hope my interest in everything, and my enthusiasm for discussing everything, does not offend anyone. That was never my intention.
Life was meant to be funny......Ralph.
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Buenos noches amiga,
mi no conozco de arana.(I am not familiar with spiders) I hope I got that correct.
Except for a somewhat superficial knowledge of Cockroaches I know little about Athropods. About the only animals with an exoskeleton that I am familiar with. Nem bilong em, Kuka, Kindam na lilik Kindam. Gutpela kai. Sapos mi kaikaim olgeta tripela, bel bilong mi kisim hamamas tru. Hehe.
Tis remiss of me I know. For indeed some parts of SE Qld are Redback heaven. Kooralbyn - just out of Beaudesert, SSW of Brissie, has more Redbacks than I have seen anywhere.
Regards......Ralph.
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