Today, some poor guy holidaying up at Wiseman’s Ferry was bitten by a death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus), five bites apparently. Luckily he is not dead, recovering in hospital, but I can’t help wondering whether he did indeed pick it up mistakenly believing it to be a lizard, as newspapers are saying. I’m aware that some adders vary their colour with the seasons, but I don’t believe any of them grow legs …
Luckily there is an antivenom for the neurotoxic agents in the bite, which varies in effectiveness depending on the subspecies of antarcticus death adder that did the deed. I’m no expert on Elapidae, but have stumbled across references to quite a number of subspecies, the Barkly Tableland Acanthophis antarcticus from Victoria, the Southern death adder from New South Wales, and of course the common death adder in South Australia. Think about those last two names, and then try to say Australians have no sense of irony. They’re all close cousins to the rather more famous Pilbara death adder (Acanthophis wellsi), reputed to be the second most venomous snake on earth.
It’s been rumoured that the common death adder antivenom can possibly be used to manage bardick snake (Notechis curtus) bites, though I don’t know how effective it would be. Sadly though, there have been reports of fox and feral cat baits killing death adders and other snakes, so it appears Homo sapiens more than get their own back on the scaly ones.
In my first year at uni I remember reading a paper about anticholinesterase being used to save death addered rats. This is apparently the opposite of the usual situation, where anticholinesterases are the active agents in other bites and stings. On the pro side for anticholinesterases, they are also used to treat pesticide poisoning by organophosphates and carbamates.
So, while there are snakes in the bushes, and people pick them up in the dark, there will always be interesting topics to ponder. Not unlike surfers who like to enjoy sun set from behind the breakers …
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