[pct-l] Man dies from rattlesnake bite in East San Diego County

[Ernie Castillo]

The snake bite cause the man's death. 
You can argue over the details, including what will be listed in the death certificate, but the man likely would be living today if he had not been bitten by the snake.
The same applies to automobile accidents. If a man were involved in a head-on collision and bled to death before paramedics could arrive, the newspaper headline would likely say:
Man dies from head-on automobile collision in East San Diego County
It wouldn't say
Man dies from internal bleeding caused by severed artery precipated by automobile collision.

Ernie Castillo
erniec01 at hotmail.com
248 884 5201



 
> Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2010 09:58:42 -0400
> From: kmurray at pol.net
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: [pct-l] Man dies from rattlesnake bite in East San Diego County
> 
> Just a quick medical note: This fellow was not killed by the bite. The speed with which he progressed to stopping breathing is more consistant with a heart attack. I'm sure there will be an autopsy, which will prove the case. 
> 
> Even with an intra-arterial injection of venom, the time frame is much longer and gradual.
> 
> Of course, there is no doubt that the bite was the precipitator of the heart attack, probably through massive release of adrenaline due to the stress.
> 
> All of the precautions and warnings still apply, nonetheless.
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