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Adder bite at Swanwick: |
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dpulman Member Joined: 06 Aug 2003 No. of posts: 3  View other posts by dpulman |
Posted: 06 Aug 2003 I am a First Aid Training Manager with 30 years experience in pre-hospital carte, including a short spell with the Ambulance Service. I treated what I believe to be my first adder bite victim yesterday. A lady member of staff was sitting at the side of a lake near a nature reserve, and brushed her hand through the grrass when she thought she had hit a sharp stone. Initially there was a localised swelling, but very little pain and she was a little flushed although otherwise seemed quite well. She did not present herself to us at the medical unit until 24 hours later when the swelling had diminished a little but covered a wider area. She presented with a slight swelling over the back of her hand with two 'D' shaped puncture wounds about 12mm apart and symetric. Both puncture wounds were identical. Although she otherwise had no symptoms, there was a little clear fluid issuing from the two punctures. The wound was cleaned and dressed as it was 24 hours old and no symptoms were present nor any signs of infection, she was discharged with advice to consult GP or A&E if symptoms or signs of infection appeared. I suspect that the snake was basking in the sun when she accidentally disturbed it - in view of the lack of any real symptoms, is it possible that the snake did not inject any venom? Presumably, it struck out of fright before escaping. Or is it possible that it was a grass snake? I don't know if they bite - can anyone tell me? The area is well known to have a large adder population and they have often been seen in the area where she was sitting. David Pulman |
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-LAF Senior Member Joined: 03 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 317  View other posts by -LAF |
Posted: 06 Aug 2003 Hi David, it certainly sounds possible to me, puncture marks 12mm apart effectively rules out an invertebrate bite. Bites where little or no venom is injected (dry bites) occur with some frequency in snakes and the vipers (like our Adder) are certainly known to do this. I don't have figures to hand but a reasonable percentage of authenticated adder bites are asymptomatic or result in only mild, localised symptoms. There is evidence to support the notion that the snake has conscious control over how much venom is injected and may well 'choose' to inject little venom when a bite is defensive. Grass snakes certainly can bite but 99% of them won't and even those that do will only do so if roughly handled. Similarly, a grass snake would not leave the twin puncture marks that a viper would as they lack the specialised, enlarged fangs that the vipers evolved for venom delivery. I'm not sure about the significance of the 'D' shape of the puncture marks but I'm sure someone here will be able to suggest whether they support the notion of adder bite or not. Hope this is of some help, Lee. Lee Fairclough |
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dpulman Member Joined: 06 Aug 2003 No. of posts: 3 View other posts by dpulman |
Posted: 06 Aug 2003 Thanks Lee, for your most helpful reply. Every new experience is a bonus, without having seen a real snake bite before, there was that element of doubt in my mind, especially as she was asymtomatic. Your explanation makes me think, along with the history, that this was almost certainly an adder bite. It also will help me to give more reassurance to our staff that they have little to fear, despite the liklihood of more adder sightings during the current hot spell and increased likelihood of young adders being present. Regards David Pulman |
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Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps |
Posted: 06 Aug 2003 Is it not strange that most of us would not dream of going out looking for adders today, but yet this is the weather when most accidents seem to happen. I have just heard unnofficially that someone has been bitten at Studland, quite close to the Knoll Beach Cafe. This is part of my study area and I know for a fact that most adult Vb's are in wet areas 200 metres away, live and learn eh? Tony |
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calumma Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2003 No. of posts: 351 View other posts by calumma |
Posted: 10 Aug 2003 I agree that few people would consider the current weather conditions as good for reptile surveys. Imagine my shock when I took a colleague to one of my study sites on Friday (8/8/03) in Kent and found three adder basking under separate tins (along with a grass snake and nine slow-worm). I know what you are thinking, what time of day was it? The answer? Noon and 31 degrees C! We had only gone out so I could show him where the site was... I have data loggers recording temperature under my tins and given local conditions on the day, temperature under tins is likely to be over 40 degrees C. Lee Brady Kent Herpetofauna Recorder | Independent Ecological Consultant |
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David Bird Forum Specialist Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 515 View other posts by David Bird |
Posted: 10 Aug 2003 Lee the more surveying I do the more I realise that I know less about reptiles than I thought I did. I am sure you might have similar sites elsewhere where results may be totally different. I now think trying to achieve standard survey methods and standard habitat management methods for all sites is as useful as asking a shed skin about the meaning of life. British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker. |
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j gaughan Senior Member Joined: 04 May 2003 No. of posts: 57 View other posts by j gaughan |
Posted: 12 Aug 2003 nice analogy david and i fully agree; slowly but surely my own preconceived ideas of 'textbook' field herpetology are being altered (blown-out) annually eg. all our reptiles, including adders, under 'red-hot tins' and out in seering heat, as witnessed lately; come to think of it, my first ever reptiles found (and caught) were viviparious lizards under tin on the shingle beach at dungerness in the sweltering heat of an august afternoon in 1975 joh5 |
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kayakingdiddle Member Joined: 25 Jun 2003 No. of posts: 3  View other posts by kayakingdiddle |
Posted: 14 Aug 2003 I am looking for adders in my area on which to base my honours project on. I live in north of england, north of manchester. I was wondering if the town of Swanwick is in the north or south of england? As looking at my atlas, i found there were two towns named Swanwick/ Cheers, Alix Alix |
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dpulman Member Joined: 06 Aug 2003 No. of posts: 3 View other posts by dpulman |
Posted: 27 Aug 2003 Hi Alix,
Sorry, but the Swanwick this refers to is on the South Coast near Southampton. Maybe the Delamere forest near you might be a good hunting place? Just a guess though I am no expert! David Pulman |
- Adder bite at Swanwick |