You’ve seen the movies. So-and-so gets bitten by a snake, then the guy cuts into the bite and sucks out the poison. That’s not real. That’s Hollywood. You could do more damage than good that way. You could possibly cut into a vein or a freaking artery. That would send venom deeper into the bloodstream.
Where did that idea of “cut and suck” come from? Apparently it comes from an old army medical manual. You also don’t want to put ice or use a tourniquet on the wound. It can increase the damage locally.
What should you do? Remove any jewelry like watches or rings because there will be swelling. Cover the bite with something clean, like gauze but don’t put too much pressure. Lower the bite below the heart. You don’t want to keep this kind of injury elevated. Get to a doctor as quickly as possible.
