Torregiani F, Moretto G, La Cavera C
Cattedra di Tossicologia Forense, Università di Genova.
Minerva Med. 1991 Jan-Feb;82(1-2):53-7.
Antiquated first-aid procedures, such as the incision and sucking of the wound and the application of a tourniquet, are still used in Italy consequent to the bite of vipers. The A. hope that such procedures will be finally abandoned, since they are ineffective, impractical, painful and can furthermore produce invalidating or disfiguring permanent outcomes. In this report they extensively describe Australian first-aid measures consequent to snakebites, constituted by a compressive bandage and by immobilization of the bitten limb by splinting. They hope therefore that the divulgation of this procedure in Italian will bring about, within a short period of time, its extensive use in Italy consequent to viper bites, as it is very effective, practical and easy to carry out.