nonpoisonous snakes have similar coloring, but in the
North American coral snake, the red band always
touches the yellow band, and the bands go all the way
around the body.
(In some of the nonvenomous,
similarly colored varieties, the bands are only on the
back and sides, not the belly.) There is an old saying
that only applies to NORTH American coral snakes:
Red on yellow, kill a fellow; red on black, venom
lack. The coral snake has short, hollow fangs that
chew into its victim and introduce the poison. Coral
snake venom is dangerous, so if the skin is broken,
give antivenom before envenomation is evidenced
by symptoms or findings.
Venom, which is stored in sacs in the snakes head,
is introduced into a victim through hollow or grooved
fangs. An important point to remember, however, is
that a bitten patient has not necessarily received a dose
of venom. The snake can control whether or not it will
release the poison and how much it will inject. As a
result, while symptoms in a poisonous snakebite
incident may be severe, they may also be mild or not
develop at all.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SNAKE-
BITE. In a snakebite situation, every reasonable
effort should be made to positively identify the culprit,
since treatment of a nonpoisonous bite is far simpler
and less dangerous to the victim than treatment of a
poisonous bite. However, unless the snake can be
P O S I T I V E LY i d e n t i f i e d a s n o n p o i s o n o u s ,
C O N S I D E R
A L L
S N A K E B I T E S
A S
POISONOUS! SEEK CONSULTATION FROM
EXPERT SOURCE.
Signs and symptoms of venomous snakebite may
include
a visible bite on the skin (possibly no more than a
local discoloration);
pain and swelling in the bite area (may develop
slowly, from 30 minutes to several hours);
continued bleeding from site of bite (often seen
with viper bites);
rapid pulse;
labored breathing;
progressive weakness;
dim or blurred vision;
nausea and vomiting;
seizures; or
drowsiness (or loss of consciousness).
Usually enough symptoms present themselves
within an hour of a poisonous snakebite to erase any
doubt as to the victims having been envenomated or
5-12
CORAL SNAKE
COBRA- ASIA, AFRICA
KRAIT- INDIA, S. E. ASIA
MAMBA- AFRICA
HM3f0504
Figure 5-4.Corals, cobras, kraits, and mambas.