More on Snakebite

I'm not sure if this has mentioned before but we should all have at least one of these in our first-aid kit: Smart Snake Bandage
They make it easy to get the bandage tension exactly right!

Barry

Back in the mid-80's Allan, we were working on a large station on the Barkly Tablelands, when a jackaroo was bitten by a Mulga snake.

Bit of a story attached so I'll try to be brief. The stockcamp were camped at a bore about 110 kms from the station and the 'roo was bitten on the lower leg or foot while he, and said serpent, were in his swag.

It seems that the lads had travelled down to the now defunct Frewena roadhouse for some R 'n R, the night before and arrived back at camp, no doubt in a party mood. They all retired to their swags and the victim felt what he thought was someone dragging a whip across his swag.

Early start in the morning and the victim felt something at the foot of his swag and kicked at it. The snake took offence and bit him. Panic stations! In the ensuing excitement the snake fled the scene, while the headstockman bandaged the leg, bundled the now patient, and a couple of "gate openers" into the camp Toyota and headed for the station.

Even though there would have been at least 6 gates to open, they arrived at the station in about an hour, where station staff had been alerted by HF radio, and the station plane was ready for take off, to Tennant Creek hospital.

From what I recall, the young bloke was okay for the almost 4 hr "journey" from swag to hospital, but suffered quite a bit of pain once they removed the bandages at TC hospital. This pain may have been caused by the bandages being slightly overtight, perhaps? He recovered well, and think he was back at the station, at work, within a week or two.

Bob