“Don’t bring the snake with you when you get a snake bite,” sounds like an old aphorism, but in this case the message is literal. Medical workers in Queensland Australia want their snake-bitten patrons to know that bringing the snake in question to emergency facilities is not needed, thank you very much. In fact, it just causes more problems. Patients were bringing the reptiles in thinking that it would be helpful for figuring out the right anti-venom treatment. But snake bite procedure is fairly standard, and most hospital workers don’t know how to identify specific snake species anyways. Plus, you know, the snakes can get loose and inflict more bites. And we don’t want… Snakes on a Vein! Here are the doctor’s orders:
Adam Michael, the director of emergency medicine at Bundaberg Hospital, told the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) that emergency workers at Bundaberg Hospital and other facilities in Queensland’s Wide Bay region had been forced to deal with several venomous snakes this year because snake bite victims brought the reptiles in, thinking it would help them determine if they needed anti-venom.
According to ABC, in early April, an individual brought an eastern brown snake in a plastic food container after the reptile bit them. The eastern brown snake has “extremely potent” venom, per the University of Melbourne.
Michael said the plastic container containing the snake was not well-secured.
“The staff got a fright and the serious consequence of that is it delays people’s time to treatment,” he told the outlet.
Along with putting hospital workers and patients at risk, snake bite victims who bring snakes to the emergency room also put themselves in even more danger.
“Any attempts to either get close to a snake to catch or to kill, or to photograph the snake, just puts people at risk,” Michael said.
Geoff Isbister, a clinical toxicology researcher at the University of Newcastle, told ABC that bringing the snake that bit you to the hospital is not helpful for treatment because most hospital workers don’t know how to correctly identify a snake. Hospital workers do know how to appropriately treat a snake bite, regardless of the species that inflicted the wound.
“We can determine if you need anti-venom and, if so, what anti-venom you need based on clinical signs, blood tests, and also the snake venom detection kits that we keep here at the hospital,” he said.
To help hospital workers with this process, Michael said it’s important to “apply a firm pressure immobilization bandage” to the wound but not to wash it.
Wide Bay Hospital & Health Service, which includes Bundaberg Hospital, shared tips on how to handle snake bites last year after experiencing issues with snakes in the emergency.
The health service advised avoiding washing the wound, firmly bandaging the wound area, and keeping the affected area immobilized to slow the spread of venom.
“Applying a tourniquet, cutting the wound, sucking the venom or bringing the snake with you to emergency are not recommended,” the agency added.
Ok, I know it’s just different cultural colloquialisms, but I love that chief among the hospital director’s concerns was that patients not give the emergency workers “a fright.” That wording tickled my Yosemite Sam a-talkin’ sensibilities. It also took me right back to The Parent Trap remake when Lisa Ann Walter’s Chessy unravels the twin switcheroo, all because Lindsay Lohan’s Annie-pretending-to-be-Hallie says “Chessy, you gave me a fright!” So no fright-giving!! Especially not at Bundaberg Hospital! And speaking of, I have to say I’m a bit surprised that Australians need a reminder on proper snake etiquette, given how ubiquitous the critters are Down Under. The country is home to 140 species of land snakes and around 30 sea snakes. And all 170 of those species don’t want to be bothered by annoying humans! Don’t be an idiot, mate; leave snakes alone to avoid a bite, leave them alone to get treated for a bite. And for Pete’s sake, if you ever have a legitimate reason to transport a snake, don’t put it in your lunch tupperware.