76 
SURVIVAL OK LAKD AND SEA 
go for months without seeing a snake even in areas where they 
may be abundant. If you do see one it will probably be a 
fleeting glimpse as the snake will be making every effort to get 
away from you and disappear in the vegetation. Your chances 
of being bitten by one are about on a par with those of being 
struck by lightning. That does not mean that you should be 
careless of the possibility of snake bites, but ordinary precau- 
tions against them are sufficient. Just be particularly watchful 
when clearing ground for a camp site, trail, or the like, and when 
roaming in the bush gathering fire wood. Many snakes are non- 
venomous, but the safest plan is to leave them all alone. If 
you should happen to be bitten don’t worry over what kind of 
a snake it was but go ahead and treat the bite as though it 
were from a venomous variety. 
There are three steps that should be taken. (1) Immediately 
apply a tourniquet above the wound, that is, between the bite 
and the heart. Kelease the pressure for 5 or 10 seconds out of 
every 10 or 15 minutes so as not to stop circulation completely. 
(2) Make 4 or 5 parallel incisions, each about 2 inches long, as 
close to the snake bite wound as possible, and extending through 
the skin and fat and into the muscle. These cuts should be 
made with a razor, a razor blade or sharp knife, and should 
run lengthwise rather than across the limb. If the incisions 
are boldly made, bleeding and seepage of serum will be 
free and much of the venom will thus be eliminated. Do not 
place permanganate crystals in the wound . (3) Keep quiet; 
take hot fluids such as tea and coffee if available. Do not take 
alcohol or morphine. Have your comrades get you to a doctor 
as quickly as possible. 
