It's very sad.All has been said on here ragarding the treatment.
I have been bitten by Atractaspis bibroni before many years ago.Firstly they gave me a chart to point out the snake that bit me.Then they argued with me about what bit me.My arm swelled a lot,but I've experienced worse swelling before with a nightadder bite that I seeked no medical attention for.
The doctor wanted to perform a fasciotomy after just a few hours "to reliese the preasure" -he claimed.Not once did he even look at the bitemark on my finger.
I didn't know any better,but after a good dose of morphine,I really couldn't care.As long as the unbarable throbbing will stop.
Luckily a specialist came to inspect my arm just in time.He bandaged me up, gave me some antibiotics and painkillers and sent me home the same night.The purples and blue colouration dissapeared after a few days and so did the swelling.
I didn't loose anything.
It just shows that in some cases doctors are too overeager to help without thinking it through.