From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com (Steven B. Harris )
Subject: Re: Snakebite info needed
Date: 24 Jul 1995
Newsgroups: sci.med

In <3uv9c9$8lp@news.cais.com> skeezix@infocom.net (Skeez) writes:

>Well, if you happen to be bitten by a snake shortly after said snake has
>bitten someone or something else, often times the snake has little or no
>venom left at the time of the second bite.

I would not count on this at all.


>I am told, however, that larger snakes have more control of their venom
>release, and may still have large amounts of venom available for a second
>bite.

True.


>I have been bitten by a moccasin in my younger days, and had no ill
>effects. The snake had apparently just killed a critter and had no venom
>available for me (thank goodness!). I never had the first sign of
>envenomation, other than two nice little holes in the back of my leg.
>Scared the bejibbers outta me

  This happens more often than you think: 50% of bites by poisonous
snakes are not envenomated, and leave only a couple of holes and a
person scared out of their wits, like you.  Nobody knows quite why this
happens (perhaps some snakes decide to do warning bites, or maybe there
are mechanical problems with bites on large objects that aren't prey).
Anyway, it has nothing to do with whether the snake has just fed, or
bitten, or not.



                                            Steve Harris, M.D.