WINONA, Minn. – Nobody in recent memory recalls any rattlesnake bite cases at the Winona hospital, but the pharmacy director, Jill Ender, says the emergency room is prepared. Antivenom serum can be flown from Mayo Clinic Rochester on short notice, she said. There usually is a six-hour window to treat a bite, Ender said. Because of the rarity of bites and a short expiration of the antivenom, the hospital doesn’t stock its own supply.
Verbatim
Ender: “If bitten, the first thing to do is to move a safe distance from the snake. Remain calm. Immediately call for help from the nearest emergency department. Remove jewelry, rings or tight-fitting apparel on the affected limb if there’s swelling. Keep the bite area immobilized in a comfortable position below the level of the heart.”
Ender. Winona Health pharmacy director.
Earlier: Another rattlesnake out and about