Survival Medicine

#356 SURVIVAL MEDICINE HOUR PODCAST Warm weather wakes humans up from their hibernation, but it also wakes inhabitants of the Great Outdoors as well, such as snakes. Inevitably some hiker, camper, or hunter experiences a face-to-face (or face-to-ankle) encounter with a slithering serpent. Of the 3000 species of snakes on planet Earth, only about 400 are venomous. In North America, those that inject venom into their victims are either pit vipers or elapids. Pit vipers include species of rattlesnakes, water moccasins (cottonmouths), and copperheads. One species or another exists everywhere in the U.S. except for Maine, Alaska, and Hawaii. Elapids include coral snakes, found mostly in the South. Find out everything you need to know about snakebites in this episode with Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy. Also, Joe Alton MD explores the utility of doxycycline, aka Bird-Biotic, in survival settings. Find out about one of the World Health Organization's "essential medicines", including indications for use and much more. A