Snakes are an incredibly resilient species of reptile, having adapted to the environments of all but one of the continents. The legless, reptilian creatures have long been the focus of many conflicted feelings in humanity. Western culture sees the snake as the representation of the devil, and therefore as representation of evil. The ancient Egyptians believed that the snake was a symbol of immortality and one particular species, the cobra, was revered as the guardian of the gods. Regardless of what view is taken, snakes are almost universally seen as venomous creatures, whose bite can bring everything from inflammation to excruciating death. Not all snakes are poisonous and not all snakes are prone to biting when threatened. However, there are still some common procedures to dealing with snake bites.
Firstly, it is often a good idea to try and identify what sort of snake did the biting. Most snakebites are made by snakes that are venomous. The venom can have a variety of effects on a person, with some capable only of causing nausea and vomiting in a human, while others can take a person down in a matter of minutes without proper treatment. Identifying the snake, or at...