Man Bitten By Deadly Snake Carries Reptile To Hospital For Correct Treatment

A man, who was bitten by a deadly snake Thursday, carried the reptile to the hospital with him as identifying the species can help doctors provide effective treatment.

Doctors at the government hospital in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh were shocked to see the man carrying a cobra. The man, identified as Veeranjaneyulu, told the doctors and hospital staff he believed knowing the snake's species would help him get the right treatment.

Veeranjaneyulu works as a tractor driver at a cement brick making unit, Zee News reported [Google Translate]. The man was bitten by the cobra on the leg while he was loading bricks into a truck. As soon as Veeranjaneyulu realized he was bitten by the snake, he caught the reptile and put it in a plastic box.

Veeranjaneyulu, who is said to be in his early 20s, then drove his tractor to a hospital for treatment.

“I am not sure what snake was it that bit me. It is quite common that doctors ask about the species to administer the anti-snake venom injection. So, I took the snake along with me,” he said, according to The New Indian Express. It took the man 14 minutes to reach the hospital.

After doctors identified the snake as an Indian cobra, they administered Veeranjaneyulu with an antivenom injection and saved his life. Veeranjaneyulu later told the doctors he would leave the snake in the woods safely while going home.

Administration of correct antivenom can help a person survive if the victim received the dose at the earliest. There are several kinds of antivenom that work against different species of snake. This means knowing which snake was responsible for the deed can help doctors provide faster treatment.

The latest incident comes in contrast to some other cases in India, in which the victims of a snake bite wanted to take revenge from the reptiles.

Last week, a man in the eastern state of Odisha caught hold of a snake that bit him and killed the reptile by biting it back. "Something bit on my leg while I was returning home on foot last night. I switched on my torch and found it to be a poisonous krait snake. In order to take revenge, I took the snake in my hands and bit it repeatedly, killing the snake on the spot," the man told local media at the time. After killing the reptile, he walked around the village with the dead snake wrapped around his neck.