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THE STATESMAN (Calcutta, India) 26 July 03 Serum scarcity claims snake-bitten mother, son
Krishnagar: A mother and her 12-year-old son died from snake bite last night in Chakdaha State General Hospital after doctors failed to administer the Anti Venom Serum (AVS) pleading non-availability.
Sashani Mondol, 35, and her son Bhola were fast asleep when a poisonous snake, identified as Kalaja Saap, bit them around 5 am, according to a local resident. The victims were residents of Khugia Paschimpara in Chakdaha.
Doctors at the Chakdaha hospital failed to revive the mother and son allegedly because the hospital authorities had failed to collect the serum after stocks depleted even though the district drug store had adequate number of AVS vials in store.
The Chakdaha administration and civic body failed to prevent the family members of the deceased from setting afloat the two dead bodies on rafts on the Hoogly river.
The family members set the two rafts afloat after laying beds and rigging them with mosquito nets.
Bhola died almost immediately after admission, a local resident said, adding that the attending doctors, Dr DK Ghosh and Dr Himadri Chakraborty, tried to revive his mother by administering two AVS vials but became desperate when they noticed that they had run out of serum.
Even though hospital officials tried to requisition more AVS vials from the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Sashani’s condition deteriorated. Efforts to shift the patient to another hospital came to no avail.
Chakdaha hospital authorities blame the Chief Medical Officer of Health for not sending the anti-venom serum on time. But Deputy CMO Dr Mohon Basu said: “Their requisition on 21 July was not proper and so it was cancelled. But when its store-keeper came here on 22 July, he was advised to collect the vials.”
Dr Basu, however, denied that the deaths occured due to scarcity of AVS vials. He said the boy was on his last breaths when admitted to the hospital, while the mother was paralysed even after the administration of 13 vials.
However, he admitted there had been some negligence of duty over the collection of AVS vials from the district.
Local residents countered the deputy CMO’s claims and have submitted a memorandum to the administration demanding an explanation from the hospital superintendent.
Sashani’s husband died two years ago and she was providing for her family by working as a maidservant. She leaves behind two more children, an eight-year-old and a five-year-old.
Residents have urged the local administration to ensure the rehabilitation of the surviving children at a government facility for orphans.
Serum scarcity claims snake-bitten mother, son

for Kalaja Saap ? I was unable to find any locality names, (India), that matched for Bungarus caeruleus, Daboia russelii, or Naja naja. Still looking; maybe Echis carinatus ?

Curious,

Derek K.

In all probability it was a Naja kaouithia. I'll ask a Bengali friend and let you know though.
Regards,
Chinmay

There are five local names given, (per my source), that pertain to Naja kaouthia, and this particular local name is not one of them. Even so; that doesn't mean my source is all inclusive. When I read any serpent envenomation article, I consider it important to know which species was responsible, but with so many dialects within the Indian sub-continent, this can become a rigourous task.

Thank you for your response !

I am looking forward to a conformation from your friend.

Thank you:

Cheers,

Derek K.