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THE AUSTRALIAN (Sydney) 27 October 06 Western brown snake on front lawn kills man
Glenn "Shorty" Butler thought he had stepped on a dog's bone when he crossed his Alice Springs lawn late on Sunday night.
Twenty minutes later the father of four passed out on his toilet, and spent the next two days on life support in hospital as doctors battled to save him from the venom in his system.
He died late on Tuesday from the bite of a western brown, one of Australia's deadliest snakes, which claims a life each year on average.
Snake expert Rex Neindorf said Mr Butler's death was a tragic accident.
"It's sad, unusual and it should never have happened. You would get better odds winning Lotto," he said.
Of the 3000 people in Australia bitten by snakes every year, the majority were simply given a "warning nip".
"Where he was bitten on the arch of the foot means he must have stepped on the head and that's why it attacked him," Mr Neindorf said.
Mr Butler, an electrician, died of bleeding in the brain.
Western brown snake on front lawn kills man

Snake expert??? If the victim had stepped ON the snake's head, the bite would not likely have been on the arch of the foot. He most likely stepped on the snake a few inches back of the head. I would hardly call the obviously defensive bite an attack.

Shame the guy died from snakebite. Walking barefoot at night on the only continent where the venomous species out-number the non-vens is not exactly wise.

~~Greg~~

>>Snake expert??? If the victim had stepped ON the snake's head, the bite would not likely have been on the arch of the foot.

I don't know... I would assume that when he says the "arch" he means on the bottom of the foot, which would make me think he might have stepped on it's head and been bitten as he lifted his foot, whereas if he'd stepped anywhere else on the snake it probably would have gotten him on the top or side of the foot. Insufficient data...