Snake Bite Treatment: ○ Three general principles:

(1) Snake venom poisoning is a MEDICAL EMERGENCY REQUIRING IMMEDIATE ATTENTION and the exercise of considerable judgment. (2) The VENOM IS A COMPLEX MIXTURE of substances of which and the only adequate antidotes is the USE OF SPECIFIC OR POLYSPECIFIC ANTIVENOM (3) NOT EVERY BITE by a venomous snake ENDS IN A ENVENOMATION or causes symptoms. ○ There are only a few venomous snakes.