First Aid

  • The bite wound should not be tampered with in any way. DO NOT wash or clean the wound as this may interfere with detecting the venom in hospital.
  • Lay the victim down and remain still.
  • All rings or other jewelry on the bitten limb, especially on fingers should be removed, as this may act as tourniquets if oedema develops.
  • If the bite is on a limb, a broad bandage should be applied over the bite site at moderate pressure (as for a sprain), then take the bandage one width below the bite, then up as high as possible, then down again covering as much of the bitten limb as possible – including fingers and toes. Several bandages may be needed.
  • The bitten limb must NOT be exercised. Do not let the bitten person walk to help. Bring transport to the victim and transport to the nearest hospital or call an ambulance on 000.

The Eastern Brown snake has extremely potent venom,  this snake causes more snake bite deaths in Australia than any other.?

Signs and symptoms

The bite site is usually painless and may only resemble a scratch.

Injected venom is mainly distributed by the body’s lymphatic system, which is heavily influenced by patient movement.

DECREASED PATIENT MOVEMENT = DECREASED VENOM DISTRIBUTION.

  • 1 hour – Headache, irritability, confusion, vomiting, diarrhoea and loss of consciousness.
  • 1-3 hours – Abdominal pain, hypertension, cranial nerve paralysis, haemmorrhage.
  • 3 hours – Limb and  Muscle paralysis leading to respiratory failure, Peripheral circulatory failure and eventually death.