Rattlers!

[magikwalt]

After seeing the post by SS I decided to do a little more research on the Sawyer Extractor. Being an analyst by training I tend to look from several different perspectives. One of them was who would I want to be treating me in the unlikely event of a snake bite. VenomER and Dr. Sean Bush over at Loma Linda are my first choice.

I kicked the details of the C2C hike with its remoteness and difficult terrain over to him and asked for his recommendations on the best first aid after a bite. He named two. A cellphone and a helicopter. Nothing takes priority over the 911 call. By the time you complete that you'll not feel like looking at or taking pictures of the snake.

Alan, since none of us can carry the helicopter I think we just got a strong vote for carrying a GPS along.

He sent over a .pdf file on his article on the Sawyer Extractor complete with all the footnoting. Since I don't know how to post it here anyone wanting a copy could send me a seperate email.

Now I wonder what I can do to make use of these things. Anyone want to buy a couple never been used kits??

[guest]

Hi Magicwalt,

Good info, were you able to actually contact Sean?
I have watched the program a lot & learned much, and the generally agreement is it's very unlikley to get much if any venom out.

This may be one of those cases where a GPS could be helpful, in regards to safety & identifing ones location to rescuers

I took a few gov personel up a while back so they could get the lay of the land & have a better idea where some in need might be calling from (visually).

ID ing the snake is still helpful to the docs, just a general pattern & color, as Dr Bush has been seeing some different than typical reactions lately.

ss

[Perry]

This is not very comforting:
http://www.llu.edu/llu/grad/natsci/haye ... venom.html

The neurotoxins have only been found in rattlesnakes on the west side of Mt. San Jacinto near Lake Hemet, but it leaves the question, has anybody tested the snakes on the east side? He says they haven't finished testing the speckled rattlesnakes. And there is the question of which venom is actually more lethal.

Table:
Southern Pacific Rattlesnake
Crotalus helleri

Mojave-like toxin

Only in Mt. San Jacinto, CA,
area in US portion of range

[magikwalt]

I gather that of the two basic types of venom the Mojave has the greatest ability to cause death and that it more quickly overcomes the victim. I believe both types are in all rattlers but the Mojave venom was only a small percentage in all except the Mojave Green rattler. This latest twist is the finding of Mojave venom symptoms in victims from rattlers not previously known for it. Cross breeding? San Diego Zoo was cited as having done it and then for having lost a couple of them. Sounds like the Killer Bee scenerio. Adaptation is also possible. The other item that has been observed is the increased number of antivenom treatment or viles required per victim.