Re: PPS

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Posted by BGF on March 14, 2003 at 22:28:08:

In Reply to: Re: PPS posted by WW on March 14, 2003 at 04:57:37:

:Just to keep a good argument going, I'll do the devil's advocate thing a bit more... ;-p

So does that mean that I am god? ;-p

:And yet.... I am not aware of *any* clinical cases of Psammophis bites resulting in the severity of symptoms seen in that Hydrodynastes bite in the pet store worker (including collapse with extensive paralysis - that's pretty severe by anyone's standards), admittedly after a particularly prolonged bite. Psammophis are common snakes throughout Africa and the Middle East, so there must be a fair few encounters and bites.

:Local symptoms approaching those of a mild viper bite (i.e., entire limbs swollen, erythema, pain) are certainly not all that rare after Hydrodynastes bites - while I would be surprised to hear of a fatality, this species is not a million miles behind something like a Sistrurus miliarius, even though the percentage of dry bites is obviously vastly higher in the FWC.

:This is one case where it looks like pharmacological evidence may be at odds with clinical experience.

Not particularly, it has to do with the nature of the toxins. The edema forming toxins are much less lethal but more noticeable than a neurotoxin (mild or even moderate evenomations can be overlooked entirely or attributed to excitement, adrenalin fatigue, etc.) unless significant symptoms (ie. ptosis or obvious paralysis) are evident.

:Too right - and it's not an easy one to crack, particularly when one knows that somewhere out there are almost certainly some more potentially deadly colubrids, but nobody knows which they will turn out to be, or who will be the first to find out.......

Yep, the obvious catch-22. One that wankers like the guy in Tennessee are happy to exploit.

:The biggest problem with any of the legislation is that it normally falls into the all-or-nothing category - if one were tolist the FWC, it would be subject to the same regulation as a black mamba, if one does not, then it canbe sold like a corn snake. Smart legislation would be an itnermediate class for things like mangoves, FWCs etc, where they may not be sold to minors, and only with a written health warning, but not banned or heavily regulated like elapids or viperids.

Very sensible and I agree entirely.

:Now let's try to find a smart legislator....

Good luck

:Hmmmm..... was that a pig I just saw flying by my office window?

I'm sure Baby Bush will use it for target practice ;-p

Cheers
B

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