by Bushviper » Mon Nov 26, 2012 5:04 pm
Last week I did manage to spend some time with the victim and listening to what transpired. The bite was so different to every other boomslang bite on record that if I had not heard it myself I would have called senile dementia or mis-identifcation.
Four minutes post bite the victim had blurred vision. About 20 minutes later he had complete loss of vision and collapse. From there it becomes more difficult to confirm as the patient was not awake to record what happened. The boomslang antivenom was only administered more than 14 hours later and the patients recovery took about 1.5 hours confirming it was a boomslang bite. Two weeks later there was spontaneous suncutaneous bleeding on the outside of the left leg.
Exactly what treatment was given we cannot confirm as the doctors did not seem to record everything. The Prof from Steve Biko is going to write a paper on this bite as it is the most unusual bite ever recorded for boomslang.
The patient was holding the boomslang by the neck when it wiggled free and bit him on his right thumb. I would also like to have venom analysed from another boomslang in that area to see if it has neurotoxic properties not recorded in other boomslang venoms.
It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.
Those who are afraid to ask are ashamed of learning.