Читать книгу Trinity Alps & Vicinity: Including Whiskeytown, Russian Wilderness, and Castle Crags Areas. A Hiking and Backpacking Guide онлайн

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A human being in reasonable condition should be able to survive a rattlesnake bite without immediate treatment, provided he or she stays reasonably calm. Fortunately, rattlesnakes do not always inject venom when they strike, and if they do, bites are very rarely fatal. Of course, victims should be taken to a hospital or urgent-care facility as soon as possible, but they should ride or be carried out of the backcountry rather than attempting to walk out under their own power.

To treat a rattlesnake bite, wash the area with soap and water. If you happen to be carrying an extractor, apply suction and use the device to pull venom from the wound, but do not incise the wound. While a tight tourniquet should not be used, application of a constricting band tight enough to slow circulation but not stop pulses will help to slow the spread of venom. Keep the affected limb immobile and below the heart.

INSECTS

Although the overwhelming majority of insect bites cause no problems, the western blacklegged tick—one of California’s 49 tick species—may carry Lyme disease. If bitten by a tick, carefully grab the body of the insect with a pair of tweezers as close to its mouth as possible. Applying gentle traction, pull the tick straight out of the affected flesh without twisting, which can separate the head from the body. Once removed, place the tick in a container for later identification if necessary, and then wash the wound (as well as your hands) thoroughly with soap and water. If the bite becomes infected, you can apply an antibiotic ointment and cover with a bandage. If the wound starts to itch, swell, or redden, an antihistamine such as Benadryl may help alleviate those symptoms. Consult a physician if the wound develops a round, red rash and/or you experience flulike symptoms, which can occur anytime after three days or up to a month after you get bitten.