IDENTIFICATION OF SNAKE BITE AND VENOM

 

Snake venom is seen in poison glands found in the head of poisonous snakes. The poison is injected in to the body of the pray through the fangs of the poisonous snake. Snake venom is highly toxic and acidic in nature and has a specific density ranging from 1.03 to 1.07. On being bitten by a poisonous snake the following symptoms may help to indentify the nature of the snake bite.

                There are mainly four type of snake venom found in the world. They are-

       I.            Haemotoxic venom ( Poisoning of blood )

     II.            Cytotoxic venom ( Cell destroying )

  III.            Myotoxic venom ( Muscle destroying )

  IV.            Neurotoxic venom ( Nerve destroying )

 

The symptoms that occur after bitten by different kind of poisonous snakes are-

 

       I.            Haemotoxic Venom:

 

a.       Often no pain or symptoms occur for as long as 8 hours.

b.      The victim feels lethargic.

c.       Severe headache always occur.

d.      Nausea may occur.

e.      Constant bleeding from the wound.

f.        Bruising as well as blood spots may occur under the skin.

g.       The venom affects blood clotting mechanism resulting in headache and if untreated bleeding may also occur.

   II.            Cytotoxic Venom:

 

a.       Symptoms occur slowly 10 to 15 minutes after the bite.

b.      The symptoms are very localized and painful with severe swelling, bleeding and redness.

c.       Nausea may also occur.

d.      Due to accumulation of plasma the body tissues swell up.

III.            Myotoxic Venom:

 

a)      Victims feel a sensation of tongue thickening.

b)      Dryness of throat and sense of thirst occurs.

c)       Muscular spasms and convulsion occur.

d)      Eyelids may start drooping.

e)      Urine turns blackish brown after sometimes.

 

 IV.            Neurotoxic Venom:

 

a)      The victim has speech and swallowing difficulties.

b)      Respiratory arrest.

c)       Blurred vision.

d)      Difficulty in breathing.

e)      Dizziness.

f)       Visible increase in sweating.

g)      Convulsion.

h)      Unconsciousness.

 

IDENTIFICATION OF POISONOUS AND NON-POISONOUS SNAKES BY IT’S FANG MARKS

 

The snake bite victim can be identified by fang marks present on the attacked part. The poisonous and non-poisonous fang marks are different. Here the image of poisonous and non-poisonous fang marks-