Zambia Travel Guide Information

  There was great concern and consternation among our Rosemont Zambia group over the picture I reposted of the Spitting Cobra (dead) from a hut in Zambia.  Did a little research and found the following information from the Zambia Travel Guide.  I found it enlightening and informative.  Please take note of the highlighted portions.

Snakes, spiders and scorpions... 

Encounters with aggressive snakes, angry spiders or vindictive scorpions are more common in horror films than in Africa. Most snakes will flee at the mere vibrations of a human footstep whilst spiders are far more interested in flies than people. You will have to seek out scorpions if you wish to see one. If you are careful about where you place your hands and feet, especially after dark, then there should be no problems. You are less likely to get bitten or stung if you wear stout shoes and long trousers. Simple precautions include not putting on boots without shaking them empty first, and always checking the back of your backpack before putting it on.

Snakes do bite occasionally, and you ought to know the standard first-aid treatment. First, and most importantly, don't panic. Most snakes are harmless and even venomous species will only dispense venom in about half of their bites. If bitten, you are unlikely to have received venom; keeping this fact in mind may help you to stay calm.

Even in the worst of these cases, the victim has hours or days to get to help, and not a matter of minutes. He/she should be kept calm, with no exertions to pump venom around the blood system, whilst being taken rapidly to the nearest medical help. The area of the bite should be washed to remove any venom from the skin, and the bitten limb should be immobilised. Paracetamol may be used as a painkiller, but never use aspirin because it may cause internal bleeding.

 In case of a bite which you fear may be both serious and venomous then:

• Try to keep calm. It is likely that no venom has been dispensed
• Stop movement of the bitten limb by applying a splint
• If you have a crepe bandage, firmly bind up as much of the bitten limb as you can. Release the bandage for a few minutes every half-hour
• Keep the bitten limb below heart height to slow spread of any venom
• Evacuate the victim to a hospital that has antivenom
• Never give aspirin. You may offer paracetamol, which is safe
• Do not apply ice packs
• Do not apply potassium permanganate
End article recitation.