First Aid: Snakebite

Most doctors agree that the best response is to rush the victim to a hospital emergency room.

• Do not try to remove poison from snakebites. Cutting and suctioning the bite can do more harm than good.
• Fear and panic aggravate snakebite reactions. Calm the victim as much as possible. Keep the victim in a reclining position to slow the spread of venom. If the bite is on a limb, keep the wound at or below the level of the heart.