Rattlesnake Bites Becoming More Dangerous

**REXANO** · Site Admin Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 405

http://www.kpho.com/news/16008917/detail.html

Rattlesnake Bites Becoming More Dangerous

POSTED: 10:24 am MST April 26, 2008
PHOENIX -- More than a half-dozen people have been bitten by rattlesnakes in the last two weeks, and doctors are now warning that the venom is becoming more poisonous.
Russ Johnson nearly lost a finger after a severe rattlesnake bite eight years ago.
"It was just like wave after wave of pain as venom pulsed through the body," Johnson said.
Johnson still works with reptiles at the Phoenix Herpetological Society, but he said he's more careful now.
"I've broken eight bones and to be honest with you, after I got to the hospital, I'd rather have broken all eight bones again," Johnson said. "I did ask them to cut the finger off, but by then it was too late. It was already up to my elbow.
Valley doctors are starting to see more patients like Johnson, becoming critically ill after rattlesnake bites, compared to just a few years ago.
"These patients commonly have very low blood pressure. Many times they're lethargic or unconscious," said Dr. Steve Curry of Banner Poison Control.
Similar trends are appearing in southern Arizona, Colorado and southern California.
"The reason for this isn't clear to us," Curry said. "Snake venom can't just change across the country all at once."
Whatever the reason, Curry says rattlesnake bites are becoming more dangerous. That means it's even more important for someone who's bitten to get medical help right away.
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ZJBDragon · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 54 Location: Westminster, MD

The reason for this is quite obvious really. When you have more people living in these areas, immigrating in these areas, and sight-seeing in these areas, you have more potential clueless people who disturb these snakes and thus get bit. Then, since environmental and animal rights legislation and restrictions have passed, less people get to know and interact with these snakes, and less antivenin is produced and that which does come out is of worse quality because nearly everyone has been driven out of business and those that remain have no need to improve their antivenin especially when they have no idea if they'll still be in business when the next set of politicians gain power. It's all very very plainly obvious, but to these people it's rocket science.

They always have these great intentions on how to make things better but totally ignore the results and side effects of their intentions. Thus, a situation that was supposed to improve has drastically worsened and the venom is magically getting stronger because it couldn't possibly be that the antivenin is getting worse...obvious sarcasm here.