A Coastal Taipan

The Coastal Taipan is yet another deadly poisonous snake species living in Australia (Poisonous critter capital of the world).  It is considered by some to be the 3rd most venomous snake in the world, after its cousin the Inland Taipan and the Eastern Brown Snake, another native Australian.

The venom of the Coastal Taipan contains a potent neurotoxin, and can kill in as little as 30 minutes.  If untreated, the bite is fatal in nearly 100% of cases.

The Coastal Taipan is also notable for its size.  It often reaches a length of 6.5 to 7.5 feet and occasionally as long as 9 to 11 feet.  It is the largest of the venomous snakes of Australia.

Image by Denise Chan

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For the independent and thrifty-minded gardener, heirloom species are a way around these problems.  Also, the sheer diversity of heirloom species available means getting to discover all kinds of variety in plants you never would have expected, new flavors, colors, or just being more resistant to certain temperatures or weather conditions.

Image by Keith Cooper

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Symptoms:

• Headache
• Fever
• Muscle pain
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite
• A rash sometimes develops after the first few days on infection, but not always

Treatment for RMSF consists of antibiotics as soon as possible.  Hospitalization is often necessary.  

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The venom of the sea wasp has been known to kill in as little as three minutes.  The sting is extremely painful, and in addition provides a triple threat to your body by attacking your skin, heart, and nervous system.

First aid for a sea wasp sting:  First the victim must be taken out of the water in order to provide first aid.  The area of the sting should be washed in vinegar, which will deactivate the venom.  Emergency medical services should be contacted for treatment as soon as possible.  While not all box jellyfish stings are typically fatal, the sea wasp’s sting is particularly dangerous and should be treated as such.

Disclaimer: The information in this post is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, emergency treatment or formal first-aid training.  If you find yourself in a life-threatening/emergency medical situation, you should seek medical attention immediately.

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• Immediate, severe pain lasting up to 48 hours
• Swelling/bleeding in the wound area
• Sweating
• Low blood pressure
• Loss of consciousness
• Dizziness
• Paralysis
• Muscle cramping
• Nausea/vomiting
• Seizure
• Irregular heart rhythm

Stingrays possess venomous tail spines which can result in serious injury, though fatalities caused by stingrays are quite rare.  The most infamous example of a fatal stingray injury is the one that killed “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Erwin.  Once the victim is stung, the stinger will usually break off in the wound.  This doesn’t hurt the stingray, which will regrow a new stinger in time.  Surgery may be required to remove an embedded stinger.  Swimmers and divers are most at risk of injury due to the many hours they spend in the water.

Stingrays generally avoid making aggressive attacks on people.  However, when stepped on they will frequently sting in self defense.  It’s easy for stingrays to go unseen by people due to their habit of hiding under sand and their camouflaged bodies.  As a result, most stingray injuries occur on the victims legs.  If you are wading in waters known to be home to stingrays, it’s wise to use a tool to shuffle the sand around beforehand, scaring them away.  Another option is to drop/throw some rocks into the water.  If you are already in the water and have no tools for moving the sand around your feet, shuffle your feet in the sand to let any nearby stingrays know to get out of the area.

A stingray injury can be quite painful, partly due to the physical trauma of the injury and partly due to their venom.  Pain often last for about 2 days, but is usually at its most extreme immediately after the injury takes place and for the next hour or so.

If the spine punctures the chest or abdomen of the victim, the chances of the injury being serious or fatal go up.  Note that Steve Erwin died from a stingray injury in the upper torso area.

Once stung, you should seek out professional medical assistance.  It is likely that you will need pain medication and antibiotics to ward of infection.  Surgery may be needed to remove the stinger or any lingering fragments.

If emergency medical assistance will be delayed, you can neutralize some of the toxin and lessen pain by immersing the cleaned wound in fresh, hot water (about 110 degrees Farenheit) or alternately by applying towels soaked in hot water to the injury.

Disclaimer: The information in this post is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, emergency treatment or formal first-aid training.  If you find yourself in a life-threatening/emergency medical situation, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Featured Photo by twodolla

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• It is disputed whether or not loud noises can trigger an avalanche, though the human voice is probably not loud enough to trigger an avalanche even at its loudest volume.
• If possible, move to the side of the avalanche as much as possible, getting stuck right int he middle is the worst place to be.
• Another option is to grab hold of a tree and hang on for dear life.
• If you are being enveloped by an avalanche, cup your hands over your mouth, which will create space for you to breathe under the snow while you wait to be rescued.
• Once caught in the snow, push your leg or arm out in hopes of reaching to the surface, where it is possible for someone to see you and come dig you out.
• Rarely is it possible to dig oneself out of an avalanche.

Image by John W. Schulze

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Burns:

• For first and second degree burns resulting from flame or heat, you should run some lukewarm water over the burn and wrap it up securely in a damp cloth.  Try to keep the injury elevated.  Avoid popping any resulting blisters.

Cuts and Scrapes:

• Wash the injury with water and soap and try to keep the wound clean, watch for redness to appear around the injury, a possible sign of infection.  Wrap the injury in a piece of cloth.  If bleeding won’t stop, you will need to fashion a tourniquet.  You can improvise one with a strip of cloth or a belt.  Tighten the tourniquet the limb above the injury.

Disclaimer: The information in this post is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, emergency treatment or formal first-aid training. If you find yourself in a life-threatening/emergency medical situation, you should seek medical attention immediately.

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• Not only does it make for an easier, faster defecation, squatting (as opposed to sitting) also leaves your butt clean after the dirty deed is done, so there’s less to clean.
• Leaves (of the non-poisonous varieties) are always a go-to toilet paper substitute.  Beech leaves are prime.
• In the cold, snow is a great way to get your ass clean after a good pooping.

Image by debabratad

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• Call for emergency medical assistance for the injured person.
• Provide appropriate first aid measures. If  the person is not breathing, perform rescue breathing. If their heart has stopped beating, provide CPR. If the injured person has both a pulse and is breathing on their own, look for other injuries.
• Check for burns. Lightning burns two spots on the body: where the person was struck and where the electricity left the body. A lightning strike can also cause broken bones and a loss of hearing or eyesight.

Image by Kelly DeLay

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Image by bikehikedive

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