A child was bitten by a viper: what to do, how to provide first aid if bitten by a poisonous snake? Symptomatic treatment for a viper bite Symptoms after a viper bite in humans

When meeting a person or livestock, poisonous snakes usually hiss and try to crawl away; They do not attack themselves, but defend themselves fiercely if they are stepped on or disturbed too closely. Most often they bite a person on the legs, less often on the arms; in livestock, the legs or end of the snout are usually affected.

The site of a viper bite quickly swells and turns red, a person feels unbearable pain in it, the swelling gradually spreads along the bitten leg or arm and sometimes spreads to the body. The bitten area may die and form an ulcer.

A person bitten by a viper is drowsy or even faint, or, conversely, in a state of excitement; There is often nausea and vomiting, pain in the pit of the stomach and cramps. The heart beats more often, but weaker, there is shortness of breath, the body becomes cold, and blood appears in the urine. Death occurs from respiratory arrest within 12 hours to 8 days from the moment of the bite.

If the poisoning is not fatal, the heart function improves, the body warms up, the swelling subsides, but for a long time, more than two months, the patient feels weak. In this case, there may be a return of the disease, since poisoning can sometimes become chronic. There are, but rarely, cases when an omission by a viper even causes blindness.

The effect of cobra venom on humans is different. There is almost no swelling at the site of the bite and there is almost no pain, but the bitten person feels tired, loses consciousness, breathing and heart function become difficult, and death may occur 2-7 hours after the bite, or a quick recovery occurs in 1-2 days.

Snake venom penetrates into the milk of bitten nursing women. There was a case when a mother’s child died after being bitten by a cobra because she continued to breastfeed him.

The bite of poisonous snakes affects animals in a similar way. However, snake venom is not at all equally strong against different animals. Cattle and horses are more sensitive than humans to snake venom. Viper's bites kill not only people, but also much larger horses, camels and cattle. The bite of a steppe viper is enough to kill a bull weighing 480 kg, while a person 8 times smaller in weight, bitten by this snake, recovers, and such a small animal as a hedgehog, apparently suffering a viper bite without harm.

The strength of the poison also depends on the place where the snake bit, on the amount of poison injected and on the condition of the snake itself. If the snake accidentally managed to bite through a vein, that is, a vessel that conducts blood to the heart, the effect of the poison is enhanced and accelerated many times; such bites are especially dangerous. A large amount of venom injected by a snake, of course, acts stronger and faster than a smaller amount, although experiments on animals have proven that after a certain limit, increasing the amount of injected venom no longer accelerates the effect of the venom. The venom of snakes that have just moulted and are well-fed is stronger, which is why such snakes are more dangerous.

Snake venom is a thick, transparent liquid, slightly yellowish or greenish in color and has a bitter taste. It rots easily and loses its toxicity when heated.

Research by numerous scientists has proven that snake venom is very complex in composition. It contains a number of toxic substances that act on various parts of the body of a bitten person or animal, and the venom of some snakes, for example, vipers, contains predominantly some of these substances, and the venom of others, for example, cobras, contains other substances. This explains the difference in the effect of the venom of different snakes.

Viper venom acts mainly on the circulatory system. The main active principle in it is hemorrhage, a substance that causes hemorrhages. It also severely affects muscles and some other tissues of the body. A distinction is made between the local effect of this poison, at the site of the snake bite, and its general effect on the body.

Viper venom exerts a local effect by being absorbed from wounds into muscles, blood vessels and other body tissues. Intact skin does not absorb poison, so the snake must necessarily injure the skin of the affected animal. The layer of fat also greatly inhibits the spread of venom, so pigs with a thick subcutaneous layer of fat are well protected against snake bites. Getting into the muscles at the site of the bite, the poison corrodes them; the action of the poison also dissolves the walls of blood vessels, which results in hemorrhages. Snake venom changes the composition of the blood and kills leukocytes, or white blood cells. Leukocytes normally protect the body from the penetration of pathogenic microbes, but when exposed to poison, they cannot cope with this; therefore, at the site of the bite, microbes multiply with impunity, and the result is a difficult-to-heal ulcer or even gangrene (tissue decay).

Viper venom has a general effect on the body as it spreads through the circulatory system, with the bloodstream. As already mentioned, cases where a snake has bitten a large vein are especially dangerous: instant poisoning occurs, the blood clots, and quick death can occur from blockage of the main blood vessels with a clot of clotted blood. The venom of vipers, spreading throughout the body, in addition to changing the composition of the blood, causes severe damage to the tissues of the liver, spleen and kidneys. The kidneys normally remove toxic substances that accumulate in the body into the urine; They also try to remove snake venom, but at the same time their tissues partially die, hemorrhages occur in them, which is why blood appears in the urine. If viper venom enters the digestive organs, severe inflammation with hemorrhages occurs, but the poison itself is destroyed by digestive juices and bile. The effect of viper venom on the nervous system is weak.

Cobra venom, on the other hand, acts almost exclusively on one nervous system; Therefore, the venom of this snake does not have a local effect. The main active principle of cobra venom is a neurotoxin; it affects the respiratory center, which is why suffocation occurs.

In case of fatal poisoning, the destruction caused by the venom of the vipers, which has spread throughout the body, is so great that further work of the body becomes impossible. In case of non-fatal poisoning with this poison, the body little by little copes with the damage, the composition of the blood is restored, the poison is destroyed and excreted by the kidneys into the urine, the hemorrhages resolve, the wound at the site of the bite heals, and the body slowly returns to normal. However, the destruction caused by the poison in the tissues of many internal organs continues to affect itself for a long time, which is what we see with the slow recovery of the patient.

Recovery from a cobra bite is much faster because if the body has withstood the action of the poison, it is easily removed by the kidneys, without causing destruction in the tissues and blood of a person or animal.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

Vipers are the most common group of venomous snakes in Europe and Russia. These are small reptiles, in rare cases exceeding half a meter in size.

The animals are non-aggressive, active during warm periods, and, if possible, avoid the presence of humans. They often settle in or near outbuildings, but only if there are places of shelter and food (usually mice).

In the article, the reader will learn about how dangerous a bite from a viper of different species can be, and will also be able to get acquainted with the algorithm for providing first aid.

Vipers are a fairly common group of poisonous reptiles, which includes 68 species. Animals are quite ecoplastic, which has led to the formation of a variety of morphs.

For example, the African Gaboon viper (cassava) can be almost two meters long, while the usual steppe individual found in our latitudes is no more than half a meter.

Interesting. The deadly poisonous cassava snake has a very peaceful disposition; despite its protective capabilities, it extremely rarely responds to an external stimulus. African reptile catchers calmly take her by the head and tail as she motionlessly waits for her prey for hours and even days. However, rare cases of aggression do occur, and if a person is not given an antidote in a timely manner, death is inevitable.

Females are always larger than males. The average weight of snakes living in our regions is from 50 to 200 grams. It is characteristic of all species that their head is triangular in shape, always flattened, and separated from the body by a short narrowing in the neck area.

The eyes are small, always with vertical (cat-like) pupils. Snakes never blink; there are convex scales above their eyes, which give the animals a terrifying look.

The jaws are quite powerful and mobile, the two front teeth are large, they have grooves through which poison is injected into the body of the victim. The coloring can be varied, often depending on the habitat, so snakes blend into the environment and without movement they are quite difficult to notice right away.

These animals are described in more detail in the video in this article. Vipers adapt very well to different environmental conditions, so they are widespread throughout the world.

Most prefer:

• forest areas;
• planting;
• gully ecosystems;
• mountains;
• overgrown banks, swampy ecotopes (but do not like open water with strong currents).
• fields and open areas (inhabited by common and steppe species).

These snakes rarely move long distances and usually do not leave the two-hundred-meter zone. On summer days, they bask on stumps and open areas, exposing their bodies to the sun's rays.

Attention. The warmer the body temperature of a snake, heated by air or sun, the more dexterous and agile it is. In autumn and spring the animal is rather slow.

They hunt mainly at dusk and at night, but if they are hungry, they can crawl during the day in search of prey. The first table identifies common types of reptiles, their distinctive features and places of residence.

Table 1. Types of vipers and their toxicity:

Type of snake	Description	Distribution and habitat	Toxicity of the poison (for a healthy adult) and the temperament of the animal
	Large (more than 0.5-0.7 m). The color is different, most often gray and brown shades (depending on the place of residence), there is a zigzag pattern on the back, and dark inexpressive spots on the sides.	Europe, Asia, in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus - everywhere. It is more confined to steppe landscapes, but is also found in forests.	The bite is not lethal, low-aggressive
	The size is average, in comparison with its relatives, up to 6.5 cm. The head is flattened, the muzzle is rounded, separated from the body by an interception. Color varies greatly from light brown to black (melanistic). Most have a zigzag pattern on the back.	Europe and Asia. It prefers cooler landscapes, so it is more common in highlands up to 2.6 km. Often lives in wet ecotopes (swamps, ravines, forests), but often lives in forest belts and dunes.	It shows aggression in extreme cases; the poison is not fatal.
	Large snake (0.7–1 m, body and eye color is tarry black. Juveniles are gray, with a barely noticeable zigzag on the back.	The habitat is forested areas of Russia and Ukraine, reaching the Ural Mountains. Often confined to forests and broad-leaved areas along river channels, avoids steppes and fields.	The snake attacks more often than other species of ours, the poison is not fatal.
	A small snake, 0.45–0.65 cm. Wide black head, rounded muzzle. The color can be different, there is a characteristic pattern on the back, but red and orange colors predominate, many black individuals, but the labial scutes have a different color.	Deciduous mountain slopes of the Caucasus range along its entire length.	The bite is not fatal; more often it occurs due to the fault of a person who accidentally stepped on a snake.
	A large and thick reptile, up to 1.8 m. It has a wide and large triangular head, with characteristic horns in front of the nostrils. The color is spotted, brown and dirty white spots all over the body (imitation of forest litter).	Africa. It lives in tropical rainforests and savannas.	The animal is very calm, reacts poorly to external stimuli, and rarely attacks humans. The bite is fatal.

Important. All vipers living in our latitudes are characterized by melanism - a dark color that differs significantly from the characteristic coloring of snakes, so it is often difficult to determine the breed of vipers even for a specialist.

Why do snakes attack

Vipers are peaceful animals. On hot days they can be seen on stumps or open areas, but more often they sit under branches, stones, fallen trees and in secluded places.

Snakes are never the first to show aggression; as a rule, they hide using their coloring or crawl away. If there is no escape route (or so the reptile thinks), then the animal takes a protective pose in the form of a spiral, hisses and rhythmically inflates its body.

A bite occurs if:

• stepped on a viper;
• accidentally (with branches, foliage) or intentionally picked up;
• there was a provocation on the part of the person, for example, he came close, annoyed with a stick, or, as often happens lately, there was an attempt to take a photo with a mobile phone.

The note. Vipers behave carefully because the production of poison requires spending quite a lot of internal reserves, which is problematic with constant changes in temperature. This explains the low aggressiveness of snakes.

All species living in our latitudes are poisonous, but not fatal to a healthy adult. The real danger of death exists for young children, the elderly and people severely weakened by severe chronic diseases.

Consequences of a viper bite

The venom of snakes is most toxic in the spring, when they wake up after hibernation. It blocks blood clotting, but is not enough to cause cardiac arrest.

The toxicity of snake protein introduced into the body depends on several factors:

• a person’s body weight, as well as his age;
• the size of the snake, the larger it is, the more dangerous substance will be injected into the wound;
• location of the wound - the closer to the head, the more dangerous; the situation is also extremely dangerous when the animal has bitten through large blood vessels;
• the poison is hemolytic, which means it does not spread as quickly as, for example, neurotoxins, so you can try to suck it out;
• the presence of allergies, cardiovascular pathologies and renal failure aggravates the well-being of the bitten person.

Important. A viper cannot bite in water because it needs support to do so, but this will certainly happen if it is picked up.

Clinical manifestations

Most people immediately after contact feel pain and burning, but often those bitten do not feel anything, which is due to the effect of the poison on the nerve endings. Two wounds from the front teeth remain on the body, which clearly verifies the poisonousness of the snake.

Symptoms after a bite:

• wounds hardly bleed due to rapid blood clotting;
• in the first minutes, swelling and hyperemia develop in the affected area, they quickly increase;
• most often pain and severe burning are felt;
• a person experiences panic and fear of possible death;
• characterized by weakness, nausea, dizziness;
• a severe degree of damage is indicated by shortness of breath, swelling of the neck, severe redness or cyanosis of the face, fainting, and convulsions.

Negative symptoms develop within an hour, and after another couple of hours the patient’s condition may worsen somewhat. Then everything stabilizes. If there are no signs that threaten the life and health of the bitten person, then the introduction of an antidote will not be required.

Negative signs will completely disappear after 3-4 days. Nevertheless, no matter how healthy a person is, first aid is always required to reduce the negative consequences. Detailed instructions are given below.

A person’s condition after poison enters the body will largely depend on the first aid that will be provided to him. The most important thing in this situation is not to panic and calmly follow the instructions below.

Unacceptable actions

It is important when providing first aid not to make mistakes that could aggravate the situation.

Please note the following points:

• The bitten person should not run, move or panic, stress will only increase the heart rate and the spread of toxins through the blood;
• alcohol does not relieve signs of intoxication, does not alleviate the condition and does not neutralize snake venom;
• applying a tourniquet above the bite site leads to tissue necrosis, this not only can cause amputation, but after removing the tourniquet it will increase poisoning of the body, since in addition to the protein components of the snake, tissue decay products will enter the bloodstream;
• cauterization of the wound is ineffective and will lead to additional trauma (burn), and an incision (as a rule, this is done to facilitate the sucking out of the poison) will only accelerate the spread of the toxin;
• It is not recommended to apply ice to large areas of the skin, which will slow down blood circulation and increase the local effect of the poison, but you can cool the wound itself.

What to do after a viper bite

Please note the following algorithm for correct actions when bitten by a poisonous snake:

1. Sucking and squeezing out venom. It is extremely important to start doing this from the first seconds. This measure will be effective only in the first 10-15 minutes, provided that it is started immediately after contact with the snake. The wound should be crushed by grasping the skin (in the form of a fold) to open the punctures. Small droplets should appear on the surface. Then you should lightly clasp your teeth around the skin around the bite and continuously suck out the poison for about ten to fifteen minutes, periodically spitting out the ichor. In this way, about half of the toxic substances can be sucked out.

Important. If there are wounds in the mouth (even open ones), this cannot serve as an obstacle to sucking out the toxin. It gets there in a highly dissolved state, and its amount is so insignificant that it cannot cause any complications. The danger of snake venom getting on damaged mucous membranes during suction is significantly exaggerated.

1. Wound disinfection. After some of the harmful elements have been sucked out, marks from viper teeth on the body must be treated with an antiseptic (hydrogen peroxide, alcohol solutions, diluted potassium permanganate and others). It is not recommended to treat with iodine or brilliant green, since the doctor who subsequently examines the wound will experience certain difficulties. It is better to apply a bactericidal patch or wrap it loosely with a sterile bandage.
2. The victim needs rest. It is extremely important to completely immobilize the affected part of the body; if necessary, apply a splint. If the bite is on your hand, you need to remove jewelry from it (they may increase swelling). Remember, any movements accelerate the penetration of poison into the blood and lymph.
3. Wrap the bite area (not to be confused with applying a tourniquet). The bandage should be moderately tight, that is, it should not put too much pressure on the affected part of the body. You can check the density of the applied fabric like this: your middle finger should penetrate under the skin and bandage without much effort. This measure contributes to insignificant compression of blood and lymphatic vessels located in the surface layers, which complicates the migration of toxic substances, without interfering with normal hemocirculation.
4. Apply something cold, such as ice, to the wound, but not to the entire surface of the limb. Cool for no more than 10 minutes. This will reduce pain and slow down (for a while) the spread of the poison.
5. Drinking large amounts of water (up to 3–5 liters per day) will reduce intoxication, reduce the concentration of toxins and speed up their elimination. In this case, the principle is this: the more liquid, the better. Preference should be given to alkaline drinks (they neutralize the poison), it can be mineral water, for example, “Luzhanskaya”, “Polyana Kvasova”, or you can simply add 1-2 teaspoons of soda to a liter of water.

Drug treatment for viper bites

After delivering the victim to the hospital, doctors determine the degree of intoxication by analyzing blood, urine, and a cardiogram; in case of serious clinical manifestations, more precise laboratory tests may be prescribed.

Important. It is advisable to identify the snake if possible, which is important to determine its toxicity. To do this, it is recommended to take a photograph of the animal or try to remember it, so that later you can identify it by its identification number or image.

The victim must clearly know how much time has passed since the injury. Anti-viper serum, obtained by injecting poison into the blood of horses, is used as an antidote.

However, it has a very short shelf life and the price is quite high. If a person’s life is not in danger, he is conscious, his condition is satisfactory and stable, then the antidote should not be administered, since it is a foreign protein for the body, which can lead to an additional allergic reaction and worsening of the condition. Doctors are able to reduce the negative consequences after a viper bite without using an antidote, using the medications listed in Table 2.

Table 2. Drug treatment after a viper bite:

Method

Fifty grams of vodka inside will help against a reptile bite, but not sucking the poison out

Summer residents and tourists venturing into the forests near Moscow are trumpeting: “There are more snakes,” “The reptiles are literally swarming under our feet,” “We are afraid to let children and dogs into the forest.”

Has the population of poisonous snakes really increased in the Moscow region? What can provoke their aggression? What to do if the snake does bite? In what cases can death occur? - we asked the scientist-naturalist, the most famous snake catcher in the country, a former venom extractor in the serpentarium, Alexander Ognev, and the leading herpetologist of the Moscow Zoo, Doctor of Veterinary Sciences Dmitry Vasilyev.

Usually, encounters with vipers occur at the interface between environments: a swamp - the edge of a forest, a mowed part under a power line - the edge of a forest, garbage in a summer cottage - a vegetable garden. Photo from personal archive.

“The snake is smooth, the viper is velvet”

Alexander Ognev has just returned from the upper reaches of the Volga. On the border of the Moscow and Tver regions, he caught frogs for his pet snakes. His apartment has been reminiscent of a real zoo for four decades now. One room is completely dedicated to enclosures, terrariums, and aquariums. There are about 70 snakes alone. He is especially proud of non-venomous snakes, which with their “shirts” disguise themselves as poisonous ones. While I was getting frogs for my pet snakes, I also caught a couple of vipers for the Moscow Zoo.

“My vision is no longer good, but I feel snakes intuitively,” says the herpetologist. “We caught those who hissed and gave themselves away.” I probably missed another 30 or so that were silent. Now it is no longer the season for catching, the grass has grown, the snakes, having warmed up in the sun, run away quickly.

— What poisonous snakes are found in Moscow and the Moscow region? Who should we be afraid of?- I ask the naturalist.

— The only poisonous snake that lives in the Moscow region is the common viper. It is also called fire viper and marsh viper,” says Alexander Ognev. — Among all the snakes in the world, it has the most extensive range - the area of ​​distribution: from Great Britain and northern Spain to Lake Baikal. Most of the range is in Russia. We can say that this is the most “Russian snake”. The common viper can also be found in Siberia. The rivers there flow from south to north and are a carrier of heat.

— Can a viper be confused with any of the non-venomous snakes?

“In the same territory, perhaps a little to the south, there lives an ordinary one. It is black or dark gray. At the base of its head it has two spots - yellow, gray, white, orange or pink. There may be snakes without spots. Sometimes they are such a dark gray color that the spots blend into the general background and are not visible. The grass snake has smoother scales, so it shines in the sun. And the viper is like velvet, it has a comb on every scale.

The grass snake is a fast-moving snake; when in danger, it curls up into a tight ball and hisses. If he sees that the danger has not passed, he can pretend to be dead. At the same time, it emits a terrible odor reminiscent of garlic. For this purpose it has special anal glands.

“Vipers and snakes prefer different biotopes - habitats, vipers - the edges of swamps and clearings, and areas near rivers and lakes,” says Dmitry Vasiliev, in turn.

- What about the copperhead?

— This snake belongs to the family of colubrids. It is not dangerous for humans,” explains Alexander Ognev. — The place closest to our strip, where it is very rarely found, is the south of the Tula region. The copperhead lives in the mountains and steppes. Its diet is based on fast lizards. Unlike the viviparous lizard, which lives everywhere in our Moscow region, the sand lizard incubates its eggs in the sand, and therefore gravitates to forest-steppe and steppe zones.

— Can we say that in recent years the population of snakes in the Moscow region has increased?

— On the contrary, there are fewer and fewer snakes in the Moscow region. These are people who are “creeping away”. More and more so-called inconvenient land is being distributed for summer cottages - land unsuitable for agricultural work. These are tall, mixed forests, sphagnum swamps - exactly the places where vipers live. They simply have nowhere to go, which is why they catch people’s eyes more often. And the snake population is decreasing. Roads are being built, construction is actively underway, forests are being cut down, thereby reducing the places suitable for wintering snakes.

— What places should you avoid to avoid encountering a viper?

— In the spring they are close to their wintering areas. And wintering grounds for vipers can be quite widespread. For example, Nikolsky’s vipers overwinter in numbers of 2 thousand,” says Dmitry Vasiliev. - Thus, in the spring there can be a lot of snakes in a small clearing. And then, after molting and mating, they spread out. According to research, females usually migrate close, up to 800 meters, and males can crawl up to 11 kilometers. In the fall, they crawl to the places where they spent the previous winter.

In spring, when there is little sun, vipers can be found in some open places. And in summer they can be seen early in the morning and in the evening. Usually, encounters take place at the interface between environments: a swamp - the edge of a forest, a mowed part under a power line - the edge of a forest, garbage on a summer cottage - a vegetable garden. Vipers do not just like forests or open fields; they are there only as migrants. But the permanent places where they spend the night are associated with shelters; these should be shaded places where they can hide - holes, heaps of branches, and so on.

- So there are no vipers in the dense forest?

“They need to be able to warm up somewhere in the open.” If this is a forest, then there should be a clearing nearby.

— What are the most “snake” areas of the Moscow region?

“These are the Savelovskoe and Volokolamsk directions,” says Alexander Ognev. — Near Volokolamsk the viper has now been practically knocked out; near Dmitrov and Iksha they still remain. A sufficient number of outbreaks have been preserved in the area of ​​Taldom and Dubna.

- I will agree. Traditionally, there are a lot of snakes in the Savelovsky direction, near Konakovo and Verbilki,” says Dmitry Vasiliev. — Also in the Shatursky direction, in the Dmitrovsky district. At one time, between the “119th kilometer” and “Temp” platforms, I caught 40 vipers in half an hour.

- Is it true that the viper does not attack a person first?

— First of all, I would like to note that Russia has a very safe environment. It greatly discourages our compatriots,” notes Alexander Ognev. “That’s why I’m not at all surprised that in Cambodia only Russian tourists are stabbed with sea urchins, because not a single European would think of stepping on a sea urchin. Or stick your fingers into the crevices of the coral to see if a moray eel is hiding there. A huge number of dangerous animals live further south. Take Turkey, where there are not only poisonous snakes, but also poisonous spiders, fish, and jellyfish. In central Russia, one should take it as a common rule: do not go into the forest barefoot or in shorts. And the worst thing there is not a viper, but a tick, which can give you a whole bunch of diseases. And the mortality rate from the viper is very low. She doesn't chase people, she never attacks herself. This is a rather cowardly creature; in case of danger, it will try to run away. The only thing is, if you come across a pregnant female, it will be difficult for her to quickly disappear, she will curl up into a ball, begin to hiss and defend herself. What are our people doing? They start hitting her in the face with a slipper, and the snake, accordingly, bites their leg. Then they say, “A snake attacked me.” In fact, they were the ones who attacked the viper.

I know several places in the Moscow region where local residents and vipers coexist perfectly. Snakes have their own “patch”, they do not leave this territory, there is an excellent food supply there, full of rodents and frogs. And the villagers, accordingly, do not interfere in their snake “state” and do not disturb the reptiles.

You have to be careful when picking berries and mushrooms. Before you step into the grass, move a stick along it. But there is no need to hit the bush with a stick. There were many cases when mushroom pickers accidentally picked up a snake, lifted it with a stick to their face, then were horrified: “A viper jumped on me.” She can't jump 1.5 meters! The viper can throw upward a maximum of 10-15 centimeters. Sneakers, high boots or boots can serve as protection. The snake does not bite through them; the length of its teeth is 4-5 millimeters.

- If a viper sees a person, it will follow him. Before he steps on her, she will make her presence known by hissing,” says Dmitry Vasiliev, in turn. - If the viper is heated, you won’t even see it, it will run away so quickly, it will only rustle the grass. Bites occur when people try to play with the viper, pick it up, or accidentally step on it or sit on it.

— At what time of day are snakes active?

“They usually go out half an hour before dawn and take positions where they can bask in the sun. “They sunbathe” until 9 am, and when they warm up, they go into hiding, says Alexander Ognev. — A snake can be seen during the day. These are so-called fattening snakes that are in search of food. The second peak of snake activity begins after four o'clock in the afternoon and lasts until sunset. My latest discovery of a viper was around 10 p.m.

“No tourniquets or immobility: let the poison dissipate”

— What to do if the viper does bite?

- Firstly, when you go into the forest, you must remember that you are the enemy there and that you are going into someone else’s territory. And you need to dress appropriately. Secondly, you need to put at least suprastin in your pocket. The fact is that the danger from a bite, according to my observations, is largely due to an allergic reaction to the poison. Poison is a protein, and different people react to it differently. Death is usually associated with anaphylaxis. Swelling of the mucous membranes of the mouth and nasopharynx can develop within 2 minutes - and the person dies.

I don’t have any allergies to viper venom; some of my snake-catching friends had swelling in their faces and nasopharynx, and some had difficulty breathing. To avoid this, you need to take some kind of antihistamine with you to the forest: tavegil, claritin, cetrin, pipolfen. For example, I always had diphenhydramine with me. This medicine, in addition to everything, also has a powerful sedative effect - it relaxes and relieves pain, which is important when bitten by a snake.

If you are not a small child, but an adult or teenager, a viper bite is unlikely to be fatal for you. Yes, it hurts, you will get sick. Teenagers or women can spend a week in bed. Men, being more massive creatures, cope with a viper bite in three to four days.

(Alexander Ognev knows what he’s talking about. Poisonous teeth sank into him 91 times. 20 years of work in the serpentarium had an effect. Plus, during the capture, the herpetologist was touched by: green rattlesnake, copperhead, steppe viper, Caucasian viper, common viper, bamboo keffiyeh, etc.)

— How correctly do those who try to suck out the poison from a wound act?

“It has more of a psychological effect.” It’s a good lesson, but don’t forget about placebo (from the Latin placebo, a substance without obvious medicinal properties, used as a medicine, the therapeutic effect of which is associated with the patient’s belief in the effectiveness of the drug. - Author). Of course, you won’t suck out any poison there, but your mouth has occupied itself with something and is already distracted from the perception of the bite. We have to hear a warning - the main thing is that there are no wounds or caries in the mouth. All this is nonsense! I remember how a colleague of mine, who was present at a performance by visiting guest performers in Sochi, volunteered to drink snake venom that he had drunk right on stage. Everyone around, including the fakir, was speechless. And Igorek, a professional with a capital P, knew well that poison only works if it gets into the blood. Even if there are sores or cuts in the mouth, it is difficult to imagine the rapid absorption of protein into the body. Viper venom is not an ointment that is absorbed into the skin.

“In the French Legion, for example, soldiers are given a special locking syringe with which they can suck out snake venom,” says Dmitry Vasiliev. - It is believed that in this way it is possible to remove somewhere around 10-15% of the poison. But it should be noted that snake venom contains a special enzyme - hyaluronidase, which instantly removes the venom from the bite point. And it is better not to do any traumatic effects, in particular cuts, treatment with some chemical agents such as potassium permanganate. Because of all this, you can subsequently limp for the rest of your life, lose a finger, and so on.

— Someone tries to apply a tourniquet when bitten by a snake. This is right?

- There is no need to do this. It’s just better if the poison disperses throughout the body,” says Alexander Ognev. “It’s bullshit that the poison can be stopped somewhere.” One of the enzymes contained in viper venom causes tissue necrosis. If you apply a tourniquet, the likelihood of necrosis increases, gangrene begins - and you will have to amputate the part on which you applied the tourniquet. Any intoxication is measured in milligrams of poison per kilogram of weight of the bitten person. I believe that when a snake bites you, the whole body should “work”, and not the part where the snake bit you. Let the poison dissipate. General poisoning will be more noticeable, but overall it will pass much faster and easier. I had a record of four hours.

When bitten by a snake, most guides advise staying still. I did the opposite. Firstly, I drank alcohol, alcohol has a wonderful property, it works as a vasodilator. Secondly, I kept moving. A snake bit me on the left hand, I worked intensively with my hand, the same way when blood is taken from a person’s vein. My hand swelled very quickly and I began to feel dizzy. After two hours, severe itching began, and this is usually a signal that the poisoning has ended and the body has begun to fight. After 4 hours the swelling began to subside.

- You definitely need to keep this in mind when you sleep. On the first night after a bite, many people cannot sleep due to severe pain. Most often, a snake bites a person on the hand. It swells so much that it hurts even to touch it. At night, you need to build a pyramid out of pillows and place the bitten hand 15-20 centimeters above the heart; if it is lower, it will be much more painful due to the rush of lymph and blood.

— When bitten by a snake, do you need to drink more fluid?

- This is true. I went through various options, watermelon came first, followed by beer and coffee. All of them have good diuretic properties. If you are in the forest, make tea and throw in a handful of lingonberry leaves. Lingonberries also have a pronounced diuretic property. The fact is that poison is eliminated from the body only through the kidneys. Therefore, we need to write, write and write again. And for this you need to constantly refill your body with water.

— Why do they say: if you are bitten by a snake, never drink alcohol?

“Our people, for the most part, don’t know how to drink alcohol in small portions, and after drinking a fair amount of it, they lose touch with reality and become disoriented. For myself, empirically, I found the right dose, this is 50-70 grams of vodka. No more, alcohol should work as a superficial vasodilator. I also used fresh water with the addition of dry wine. The acidic environment disinfects, you never know what kind of E. coli you pick up from the local pond.

“There are those who apply half a cut onion to the bite site. Does this have any effect?

- There is no use in doing this. There is no more poison at the site of the bite, says Dmitry Vasiliev. — There is such a demonstrative experience. The spots on both sides of the guinea pig were shaved down to bare skin and poison tinted with methylene blue was injected into one point, and saline solution with methylene blue into the other. The area of ​​the spot where the poison was injected was a hundred times larger than the place where the saline solution was injected. That is, the conductors in the venom instantly lead it away from the bite point. It “flies away” to the nearest lymph node.

Unless there is an allergic component, the viper's venom is not strong enough to cause death in an adult. But if within an hour after the bite there is a severe headache, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding from the mucous membranes, clouding and loss of consciousness, a feeling of flashing light in the eyes, the person must be urgently taken to the hospital.

Herpetologist Alexander Ognev was bitten by poisonous teeth 91 times. Photo from personal archive.

“You cannot use a serum prepared from the venom of other snakes against a viper bite.”

- What do you say to those who, going to the forest, take with them an antidote - ampoules with anti-snake serum?

“The fact is that allergies to serum are more common than to poison,” says Alexander Ognev. “We must remember that this is not a vaccine, this is serum that is obtained in biofactories. To make it, snake venom is injected into the body of a horse or mule. They give an injection containing poison in a dosage significantly lower than the lethal dose. Then gradually increase the dose. Antibodies accumulate in the animal, then blood is taken from it, blood cells are separated, and pure plasma is used to prepare serum. Such horses and mules are worth their weight in gold. I want to warn you: you cannot use serum prepared from the venom of other snakes against a viper bite.

And it’s better if it’s administered to you in a medical facility. Doctors will first do a test, an injection with a minimum dose and look at the reaction so that there is no redness. Then the serum will be injected subcutaneously, but not with one injection, but eight to ten, in small doses, injected into the bite site. I have never injected serum in my entire life. I repeat: if you are bitten by a common viper, if you are an adult, it is not necessary to do this.

— If you go to the nearest hospital, can you be sure that they will have anti-snake serum in stock?

“I don’t know what their situation is now.” Previously, the pharmacy where you could buy the serum was guaranteed to be located on Tishinskaya Square. The whey was produced in Stavropol and Nizhny Novgorod. Now you can buy it online. (“MK” checked and made sure that there are more than enough offers. An ampoule with serum against the venom of the common viper costs 450-550 rubles. The shelf life is no more than a year, it must be stored in the refrigerator. It is freely sold to private individuals. The courier is ready to deliver the serum to any point.)

“There may not be serum in small rural hospitals, but it is always available at the Poisoning Center of the Sklifosovsky Institute of Emergency Medicine, at the Filatov Children's City Clinical Hospital No. 13, as well as in regional hospitals,” says Dmitry Vasiliev.

— How does viper venom affect cats and dogs?

- About the same as for a person. Dogs of large breeds of the Malos group are sensitive to snake venom, says Dmitry Vasiliev. — Dogs most often receive a bite in the area of ​​the nasolabial triangle, that is, when they sniff a snake. Swelling develops quickly and dogs may have difficulty swallowing food or water. And, for example, hunting dogs and dachshunds tolerate snake bites quite easily. In cops and drathaars, symptoms of poisoning spontaneously disappear after 6 hours, which does not exclude future complications associated with the kidneys. Large breed dogs may experience heart murmurs, wheezing, and pulmonary edema. Therapy for dogs is the same as for humans. In the hospital they are injected with anti-snake serum. And then they carry out symptomatic treatment: if the pressure drops, they raise it, “drip” antihistamines and painkillers.

— Could other types of poisonous snakes appear in the Moscow region due to warming?

“Due to warming, other species may appear, but we must take into account that the formation of a species takes about 5-6 thousand years,” says Alexander Ognev. — The closest point where there is a viper is the spurs of the Talginsky ridge, northwest of Makhachkala. The northernmost point where there is a cobra is the desert and the Ustyurt plateau of the same name in the west of Central Asia, at the junction of the borders of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

—Can a snake bite while in water?

— The viper swims, and quite well. Another thing is that it does not live where there are large bodies of water. And she easily swims across small rivers,” says Alexander Ognev. - In the river, if you grab it with your hand, of course, it can attack. But this is not her native element; in the river she is thinking about how to get away from you.

“I know for certain two cases when a snake bit a person in the water while trying to throw it away,” says Dmitry Vasiliev. - This is despite the fact that in order for a snake to bite, it must take a certain position. In order to throw the front third of the body forward, it needs some kind of solid support. And water is not very convenient for this. If someone mentions a snake in the water, then it is most likely a snake. They swim very willingly.

— Can a water snake be found in rivers near Moscow?

“The closest point to the Moscow region where there are water snakes is the Saratov region,” says Alexander Ognev. — Some diversity appears, starting from the Tula region. Nikolsky's viper, a copperhead that is not poisonous, already appears there. Closer to Volgograd you can meet the steppe viper and yellow-bellied snake. South of Volgograd - Sarmatian and patterned snake. The further south you go, the more species of snakes there are. But still this cannot be compared with the tropics, subtropics, the Caucasus and the Far East.

— How can you protect your garden plot from snakes?

— In the morning, about 8 o’clock, when the sun is just starting to get hot, walk around your territory and inspect everything carefully. Usually snakes warm themselves and are motionless. In order not to encounter a viper at your dacha, ensure hygiene of the area and remove construction waste, says Dmitry Vasiliev. — If you see a faded snake skin, reclaim these places and fill up all the holes.

“It is impossible for the garden plot to have deposits of firewood, piles of boards, pieces of roofing felt left after repairs,” explains Alexander Ognev, in turn. — Few people are interested in neatly stacked firewood. But piled up, rotten boards and piles of garbage are an ideal place to hide rodents and lizards. A viper can also climb there and feel completely safe. Regularly mow the grass around your garden plot and it will lose its attractiveness to lizards, shrews, voles, and vipers.

Viper venom is very dangerous. Many of us have known about this since childhood. How exactly does it work in the human body? What does it lead to and how to save someone who has been bitten by a viper? We'll talk about this below.

What types of vipers are there?

Viperidae, also known as Viperidae, is a family of snakes known for their venomousness. Only the largest species pose a danger to humans, since the venom of these amphibians is much less toxic than the venom of snakes of the slate family. These amphibians are widespread in Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America. Moreover, they are found in almost all types of landscapes and can live at altitudes of up to three thousand meters above sea level. They lead a lifestyle similar to that of a nocturnal predator and usually sleep during the day. They feed mainly on amphibians, small rodents, birds and insects. Nutrition depends on where a particular individual lives.

It is worth noting that snakes of this family do not warn their prey about an impending attack with sounds or an aggressive pose, as do, for example, snakes of the aspid family. Instead, they prefer to sit in ambush until the very last moment. Only when the victim is in close proximity to the snake does a lightning attack occur. In this case, the amphibian’s mouth opens more than 180 degrees, long fangs are put forward and pierce into the victim’s body, the mouth closes with tremendous force and the muscles around the poisonous glands squeeze a portion of poison into the victim’s body. It is essentially both a bite and a blow.

Of the snakes of the viper family that are most dangerous to humans, the following species live in our region. This is first of all:

• common viper (Vipera berus),
• steppe viper (Vipera ursini),
• viper (Vipera aspis),
• sand viper (Vipera armodytes).

These are relatively harmless viper species for humans. Slightly more dangerous is the Armenian viper (Vipera xantima). The most dangerous of these snakes for humans are the viper (Vipera lebetina) and the sand epha (Echis carinatus).

The effect of a viper bite on a person

As has already been said here, the bite of a viper is also a blow. The need for this method of attack is caused by the properties of the viper’s venom. The fact is that intact skin does not absorb this poison at all and the snake in any case needs to damage the skin, which is achieved due to long and sharp fangs and a shock-like method of attack. It is also worth noting that subcutaneous fat prevents the venom from being absorbed, so it is necessary for the viper to have long fangs.

The main viper venoms are H-alpha proteinase and H-beta proteinase. These substances, when absorbed into the blood, cause destruction of the walls of blood vessels and blood clotting. In addition, the membrane of leukocytes is destroyed, which contributes to the accumulation of infections at the site of the bite and the appearance of a difficult-to-heal ulcer, even gangrene.

As it further spreads through the victim’s body, the viper’s venom continues to have its destructive effect on the blood vessels. As a result, the internal organs of the victim begin to be affected. For example, the kidneys try to remove poison from the body, but they themselves begin to suffer due to the destruction of the vessels inside them, which contributes to the appearance of hemorrhages and, as a result, blood appears in the urine. When it enters the digestive system, viper venom destroys the walls of blood vessels there too, which leads to inflammation with hemorrhages. In this case, the poison itself is neutralized by the digestive juices and bile of the victim. In addition, the liver and spleen tissues are greatly affected by the poison.

The main symptoms of a viper bite include the following:

• the presence at the site of the bite of two small, but clearly visible and very clear marks from the poisonous fangs of the viper,
• slight pain at the site of the bite in the first minutes after it,
• burning at the site of the bite during the same period,
• swelling at the site of the bite during the same period,
• redness at the site of the bite during the same period.

All this is a local reaction to a viper bite. Over a short period of time, the pain at the site of the bite intensifies and becomes unbearable, and swelling develops. Already at this stage, symptoms of the body’s general reaction to the bite appear in the form of weakness and dizziness.

20-40 minutes after the bite, all of the above symptoms develop and intensify. Thus, unbearable pain and swelling take over more and more areas of the victim’s body, and dizziness and weakness intensify. The following symptoms are also observed:

• Due to the destruction of blood vessels, blood pressure decreases.
• Heart rate increases (in general the heart beats faster, but much weaker).
• Pallor of the skin is observed.

Nausea and vomiting may also occur during this period.

In the future, in the absence of adequate medical care, fainting or, conversely, increased agitation may occur. Body temperature also decreases. In addition, pain in the heart area may occur. And finally, convulsions appear.

Also, over time, tissue necrosis is observed in the area of ​​the bite with a difficult-to-heal ulcer at the site itself. In addition, blood appears in the victim's urine. If the victim is not subsequently provided with adequate medical care, gangrene may develop at the site of the bite.

Death in such cases usually occurs from extensive destruction of the vessels of the circulatory system, in which further functioning of the body becomes impossible.

First aid and treatment

It must be said that for the survival of the victim, a very important factor is the timely provision of adequate first aid and further medical treatment. Thus, if first aid is not provided to the victim, even the bite of a viper, which is relatively harmless to humans, can lead to fatal consequences. At the same time, if first aid and further treatment are provided correctly, then the victim has a fairly high chance of surviving a bite from even the most dangerous species of vipers.

It should be remembered that first aid should be provided to the victim immediately after the bite. The danger to life that arose as a result of this should not be underestimated.

Rules of behavior for a viper bite and first aid must necessarily include the following methods:

• Immediately after a bite, measures should be taken to prevent repeated bites.
• If the bite is on your hand, you need to remove all the rings and bracelets from it so that with the further development of swelling, nothing puts pressure on the tissue.
• For the first 20-40 minutes, you need to suck out the poison from the wound, spitting it out. This can also be done using a syringe, after cutting off the tip from it.
• Then the wound must be treated with any antiseptic to prevent infection. This can be alcohol, iodine and other means.
• The victim should be provided with peace so that the poison does not spread throughout the body too quickly and the latter has the opportunity to mobilize forces to combat the consequences of the bite.
• The victim should be provided with plenty of fluids, as this will promote rapid detoxification of the body.

Immediately after providing first aid, the victim must be taken to a doctor, where treatment will begin. It, as with the bite of any other poisonous snakes, consists of introducing poison into the patient’s bloodstream. In this case, it should be a serum against a viper bite. It should be noted that when bitten by different types of vipers, the most effective will be the introduction of an antidote into the blood from the corresponding type of viper. So, if the victim was bitten by a common viper, then serum against the venom of the common viper should be injected into his blood.

It must be said that any serum should be administered only with permission and in the presence of a doctor. This is due to the fact that the medicine is a biological product and can cause an allergic reaction, including anaphylactic shock.

Of the other medications for a viper bite, the doctor may prescribe antihistamines, painkillers and cardiac support drugs. But only if there is a need for it.

How to avoid a dangerous bite?

I would also like to note that avoiding a bite is quite simple and certainly much easier than treating it. You just need to follow some rules. After all, snakes, including vipers, do not at all strive to attack humans. Moreover, even if you invaded the viper’s territory, it will try to escape from you. And only if she sees no way to escape will an attack follow.

Here are the rules that will help you avoid an attack from a viper:

• Walk only on paths and do not turn into thick grass. The fact is that vipers often hide from their enemies and potential victims in natural shelters, like tall grass. By walking along it, you can scare away the viper and thereby provoke it to attack. The same applies to dense bushes.
• Do not put your hands and feet into crevices, hollows or holes. Vipers love to use such places for hiding. By sticking your hand or foot in there, you can scare the snake there, and it will attack you.
• If you do need to break the previous two rules, be sure to carefully pierce such areas with a long shelf. It's better to let a viper attack a stick than your leg.
• Be sure to wear high shoes and wide trousers when outdoors. It is better to choose leather as a material for shoes, as it will be difficult for a viper to bite through it. Wide-leg trousers are better than tight-fitting ones because if a snake bites them, there is a chance that its fangs will not reach your body.
• When staying overnight in nature, avoid setting up a tent in thick grass or near dry fallen trees. Vipers love to hide in such places. It is better to sleep on elevated surfaces, where it is more difficult for snakes to climb. And before using bedding and clothing lying on the ground, be sure to shake them, as a viper may be hiding there.

Finally, it should be said that vipers do not perceive humans as their natural enemy. In all those cases when they bite a person, snakes are only defending themselves. It is important to remember this during any contact with these reptiles.

Conclusion

The bite of a viper is very dangerous. The poison released by it can affect the vital functions of the body and cause death. Therefore, first aid measures must be provided immediately. It is important to know them for those who often visit nature and the habitats of reptiles. Also, do not neglect the rules of bite prevention.

What are the consequences of a viper bite for a person? How to provide first aid to a victim? What should the treatment be? You will find answers to these questions in the article.

general information

All representatives of the viper family are classified as poisonous snakes. The appearance is quite remarkable, although it is often confused with a snake. The color of this snake varies from black to brownish-gray. They live throughout Africa, Asia and Europe. In Russia, this species is found everywhere, with the only exception being Siberia. Here, scientists have identified approximately six types of common viper; Caucasian, Horned, Steppe and others are common. The common viper, the consequences of whose bite we will consider, is small in size, and the body length rarely reaches sixty centimeters.

Description

The viper can be easily identified by the dark stripe that runs along the entire ridge. Unlike snakes, which have a round head, vipers have a triangular one, with a pattern in the form of the letter X on the top of the head. Such snakes live for about fifteen years, preferring to live in one place. Vipers love damp and warm places. Old rat holes and cracks in rocks are often chosen for nesting. Human intervention or hunger can force her to leave her usual place.

Like other cold-blooded creatures, vipers love warmth. They go out in search of prey at night, hunting lizards, rodents, and small birds, but during the day they sit in the nest or bask in the sun. In winter, the animal hibernates, and awakens in early spring, when there is still snow. In the central zone of the Russian Federation, the wintering period takes about two hundred days, in the north 215. Males are the first to leave the shelter.

When is there danger?

Vipers feel great at a body temperature of nine to thirty degrees. If these indicators fall below or rise above these marks, the animal dies. This is why snakes have to hide in a shelter all day and crawl out only a few times a day to warm up. People often encounter them in the forest due to their own carelessness, receiving a poisonous bite. A person is not considered by this snake as a potential victim, they are afraid and do everything not to collide with him, and when they meet, they will never attack first.

You can only get a bite if there is a direct threat, if you step on the snake or pick it up. Before attacking, the snake will make a loud hissing sound. Another distinctive feature of vipers is poor hearing. They are not able to determine the approach of people by their steps, but are guided only by the shaking of the ground. In the case when the ground is too soft, the snake is unable to detect the presence of an outsider until the last moment.

Every year, doctors record several thousand cases. Thus far, no deaths have been reported, but this does not mean that snake venom is harmless. The consequences of bites are severe, this is often observed in patients with allergic reactions.

What does a bite look like?

After an unpleasant encounter with a snake, in the first minutes only two red dots will be visible on the affected area - marks left from the teeth. Since the poison has a strong hemolytic effect, which leads to an acceleration and increase in blood clotting, the wounds heal quite quickly. The blood bakes and a red spot appears around it. After a short period of time, swelling appears in the affected area, causing noticeable pain and spreading quite quickly, the skin begins to swell and becomes bluish in color. If the bite occurs on a limb, the person may experience numbness in the fingers. In the most dire situations, after bites, vascular thrombosis is observed, as well as hemorrhage of internal organs.

What does the danger depend on?

The consequences of a common viper bite will depend on the following points:

• Volumes of the snake. It was found that the more cold-blooded, the larger the glands that secrete poison; accordingly, its volume also increases.
• Height and weight of a person. The larger the creature that is bitten, the less impact the venom will have.
• Affected area. It is generally accepted that bites in the area of ​​the shoulders, neck, and chest are extremely dangerous.
• General condition of the body. If there are heart problems, then there is a possibility of developing a state of shock.

Symptoms

It is extremely important to understand what the signs of a bite are in order to provide timely help if necessary. The first signal is severe pain at the site of the bite. Also, this area begins to swell, and the size of the limb can increase several times. The poison, which spreads through the bloodstream, causes hemorrhage, which causes a sharp decrease in blood pressure and swelling of the lymph nodes. Frequent symptoms are vomiting, nausea, high fever, migraine, general weakness.

Bite for an adult and a child - consequences

What consequences can there be after a viper bite? First of all, it all depends on the composition of the poison. The thing is that it is mostly considered hemo- and cytotoxic. This suggests that as a result of its exposure, the body undergoes a profound functional and structural change in the blood tissues or tissues, which leads to death. This effect is due to the composition of the poison, or rather the large number of necrotizing enzymes. At the same time, neurotoxins are not observed in the viper’s venom, and due to this, its effect on the nervous system is not observed. And the production of poison by this representative is not as critical as, for example, a pit snake or adders.

Despite this, for people who have suffered a viper bite, the consequences can be quite sad. This is especially true for those who have problems with the cardiovascular system, or who provided first aid incorrectly.

For a child, a viper bite has serious consequences. It can lead to low blood pressure, internal blood loss, general weakness and loss of consciousness. In difficult cases, convulsions and increased agitation are observed. Such complications can lead to the death of the child.

Photos of the consequences of a viper bite for a person are quite frightening, so for aesthetic reasons we did not place them in the article.

Dry bites

Perhaps the main role in the seriousness of the consequences of an encounter with a common or steppe viper is played by the amount of poison that it secretes. This is directly related to the hunting habits of the amphibian. Vipers hunt only small prey, doing it quickly, from cover, and then wait for the poison to take effect. It is also worth noting that the poison is used extremely carefully; the snake always tries to have a small amount in reserve. That is why, in some cases, the bite of a steppe viper may have no consequences. It may turn out to be completely harmless.

Emergency help

The first and most reliable aid for bites is a special drug that should be present in every clinic. This antidote is prepared based on snake venom. But, as often happens, victims of attacks are people going on vacation in nature, who do not have the opportunity to immediately go to the doctors. In addition, the serum must be administered intravenously, so not everyone will be able to carry out such treatment on a hike, even if the antidote is at hand. It is in such situations that you need to know how to provide first aid. Here the count is in minutes, but very often it happens that after being bitten people get lost and don’t understand how to act.

First you need to weaken the effects of the poison and call an ambulance. Before the doctors arrive, you should not remain idle; we carry out the following manipulations:

• The victim should be taken to a safe place and laid on the ground. Complete rest is extremely important for the patient; he should worry less and move around. This will help stop the rapid spread of poison.
• The wound needs to be opened. To do this, they press on its edges with their fingers, and for ten minutes the poison is sucked out of it with their mouth and spat out.
• Another requirement is to ensure you drink plenty of fluids (keep in mind that alcohol is prohibited). A small amount of toxins are removed with water. There are some actions that are prohibited. You should not try to cut yourself or cauterize the wound with anything, cover it with earth, or tie everything with a tourniquet.

A bath diluted with milk or a steam bath copes well with weakness and eliminates residual signs. To reduce pain and relieve redness of the wound, juice extracted from plantain or horse sorrel root is applied to the affected area. As another natural antidote for severe wounds, you can use boiled vinegar, a tincture made from the roots of elecampane, St. John's wort or ginger. Spicy products relieve the effects extremely well.

Conclusion

So, if you are a fan of going into the forest to pick mushrooms or berries, then you have probably encountered this snake more than once. A meeting with a person usually ends tragically for a viper, because for many, killing a snake is a real feat. If you encounter this animal, you should not do anything rash, just give it the opportunity to move away. A snake bites only in the most desperate situations. When the viper hisses, you should not make sudden movements. Such actions do not mean that she will rush at a person. The opposite is true: the bite will occur silently only when there is no other option, or a person accidentally steps on it.