Yep. A young boy in our area died in the hospital after reacting to antivenom treatment, even with the full capabilities of a Level 1 trauma center at the doctors' disposal.

But wait people - this was California after all.

The Governor commissioned a panel to study this situation, cost $5 mil. The results are due in 2015. The county issued a warning pamphlet, cost $2 mil, and posted day and night guards along the path to ensure no more snakes bit anyone, at the cost of $10 mil a year. The city commissioned a panel, a symposium and had several university professors debate the problem, costing $2 mil. And they posted warning signs for snake crossings - altho I don't know if snakes read and how do they know where they are supposed to cross?

But then PETA sued on behalf of the snake, saying it was a territorial incursion by people. They won $15 million in a civil trial. They also got all the snakes in that area relocated to a nicer area, at the cost of another $6 mil.

Here in NC the same thing happened to me. Except I have self reliance and carry a walking stick and have been known to look at my surroundings from time to time. I saw the snake. I whacked the snake with a stick and made it into a hatband. Total cost - about $2 for salt to cure the hide.

Who was it said the US is tilted and all the loose nuts roll west?

That no longer applies. The whole country is now a giant pinball machine with nuts roaming all over the place. After all, Washington D.C. isn't in the west, is it?

Sue

Does anyone know if the small fire in a metal water bottle trick will work at sucking out the venom?

sarcasm/

Racist!

/sarcasm

I'm confident I'll be corrected.... and I cannot find a printed source. I asked a friend here who is a Hemotologist considered the regional expert on venom (snake and spiders, here. For what it is worth, here goes:

Aside from the above issue of whether or not to use suction to extract venom (mouth, Sawyer, or heated bottle) the actual issue is that none of these methods actually DO anything. Venom transports so rapidly that any remnant still extractable by suction at the bite site is irrelevant in seconds. One of the mysteries being investigated is that the venom seems to transit faster than one can explain by venous activity per se. So you can't "remove" it.

You can counter the effects with antivenom, and/or you can stabilize and medically support the patient. But if anyone can cite a good reference showing that any significant amount of venom can be removed by ANY form of suction, I'd like to read it.

Hey,wasn't Gomer Pyle from Mt.Pilot?"You gotta'right purdy mouth"(dueling banjos in the background)=NC,?

Here's a well done overview on snakebite management that addresses the Sawyer Extractor as well as the Australian pressure wrap technique. It has many informative links.

There is so little positive evidence of the Sawywer's efficacy, I am surprised at how many are willing to pack one "just in case it helps a little bit".

Trust me, NC has just as many ridiculous nanny state rules as CA. Try running a business there and you'll find out. The only pluses are a lower state sales/income tax, and saner firearms laws. But its not the bastion of self sufficiency and personal liberty that you make it out to be, thats for sure.

Purdy mouth, Georgia. Deliverance. Chatahootchee (sp) River wasn't it? Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beaty (he of the purdy mouth )

Gomer, Mount Airy was the model for Mayberry. And they sent that poor boy to California for his permanent duty post.

NC as a state doesn't have near as many nanny laws as one city - San Fran - in CA does. And most of the ones affecting businesses are federal, not state, at least here. I dunno about the state income taxes/sales taxes as they are the highest in the SE. The firearms laws are pretty cool tho. You do need to get a permit to buy a pistol in this county tho.

And Sue, DC doesn't count. The states send all their elected officials there. Sort of a "send the village idiots on a road trip" thing.

Funny how people didn't comment on the millions "spent" by California in my scenario. Too close to the truth maybe?