Puff adders in Tokai forest....

[leet22]

No need to stock up on anti venom etc. Snake bite kits are usally for guys outside of major areas where medical help will be slow. Puffies are ctyo toxic and thus their venom attacks tissue. Yes they should not be messed with but no need to think that we going to have ppl getting bitten all the time. Best thing to carry is a cell phone and a map where you are going to be.

[WOFT]

I searched "pubmed", an online database of medical journals. I searched for "snakebite", "suction" and "aspivenin". I could only view the abstracts of the articles, as I don't have a subscription to access the full texts.

 

most of the articles I checked out said that suction was did NOT change the outcome, in experimental animal studies.understanably, there are not many experimental human studies, but most of the reviews also say that the suction unit as a first aid measure for snakebites in not effective.

 

2 articles (ie: the minority) showed that the suction unit actually CAUSED damage to area it is applied to - the rim of the suction cup damaged the skin and underlying tissues to the point where they necrosed, worsening infection and prolonging the time to heal.

 

No articles suggested that that suction units be used. however, 1 article suggested that "trained personal could, under certain conditions, used excision and suction". this article was published in 1960.

 

The Aspivenin pump' date=' tested in real life conditions by Pharmaciens sans Frontieres in the Ecuadorian Amazon jungle proved

its worth in many cases of bites from giant ants. The research involved

a local Indian tribe called the Shuar-Ashuar, and a satisfaction

rate of 97% was recorded after using the Aspivenin pump for the treatment

of giant ant bites, scorpion stings, tarantula attack and snakebites.

Aspivenin? will

quickly reduce the pain and discomfort of an ant bite, and help to

alleviate the symptoms of an allergic reaction; this does not exclude  recourse

to medical care as soon as possible, in serious cases, when bitten,

for example, by the giant ants of the Amazonian forest. [/quote']

 

 

My conclusion - Suction kits make you feel good about yourselve (which might not be a bad thing, but could be false security), but do not influence your management of a snakebite, which is "get to hospital, quickly".

 

[Rapunzel]

I'm just thinking that a few warning signs with some of these full colour snake pictures may keep our favourite mtb spots safer

[firewolf]

more chance of a bite from a taxi snake than a nature snake

[Yang]

I searched "pubmed"' date=' an online database of medical journals. I searched for "snakebite", "suction" and "aspivenin". I could only view the abstracts of the articles, as I don't have a subscription to access the full texts.

most of the articles I checked out said that suction was did NOT change the outcome, in experimental animal studies.understanably, there are not many experimental human studies, but most of the reviews also say that the suction unit as a first aid measure for snakebites in not effective.

2 articles (ie: the minority) showed that the suction unit actually CAUSED damage to area it is applied to - the rim of the suction cup damaged the skin and underlying tissues to the point where they necrosed, worsening infection and prolonging the time to heal.

No articles suggested that that suction units be used. however, 1 article suggested that "trained personal could, under certain conditions, used excision and suction". this article was published in 1960.

The Aspivenin pump, tested in real life conditions by Pharmaciens sans Frontieres in the Ecuadorian Amazon jungle proved its worth in many cases of bites from giant ants. The research involved a local Indian tribe called the Shuar-Ashuar, and a satisfaction rate of 97% was recorded after using the Aspivenin pump for the treatment of giant ant bites, scorpion stings, tarantula attack and snakebites.

Aspivenin? will quickly reduce the pain and discomfort of an ant bite, and help to alleviate the symptoms of an allergic reaction; this does not exclude  recourse to medical care as soon as possible, in serious cases, when bitten, for example, by the giant ants of the Amazonian forest.

My conclusion - Suction kits make you feel good about yourselve (which might not be a bad thing, but could be false security), but do not influence your management of a snakebite, which is "get to hospital, quickly".

 

I've used Aspivenin for years. Excellent to take the sting out of mozzie bites and there's no need to use that anti sting cream which always wipes off by accident. Also used it for a couple of infected bites caused by a little stinging insect out here which causes an infection within days and normally has to be drained out.

 

Fortunately no snake bites yet. They try to slither away from me in panic (they aren't used to humans trying to catch them) as I run after them or pull them out of bushes so i can drop 'em off in unpopulated areas. Mainly Mozambican spitting cobras.

 

The only thing I found about aspivenin is that the suction fittings eventually crack, and now the nozzle of the one I have now has also cracked. Will get a replacement asap tho'.

Yang2010-03-05 12:28:21

[Snailtrail021]

 

 

Hi' date='

 

Very well tarred. very little road traffic up there.

 

How steep is the road?

@#*%ing steep

 

Its very narrow, twisting and is flanked by a deep gutter. Certainly parts of it are skateable, but I wouldn't try it. It will end badly .

 

[/quote']

 

 

THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!!! Steep, narrow, twisty, its gonna happen!!

Thanks for the info, now I need to work on getting up there...

 

When you say well tarred, is it pretty smooth (ie not rough tar, i know this is quite hard to tell, but if its too rough its not worth persuing... )

 

Anyone else have any thoughts? Any long downhill sections (2km+)

 

 

[Cassie]

It's about time they introduce some puffies to Majik....

 

Might take care of the "villain" infestation there!!