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PAULS VALLEY DAILY DEMOCRAT (Oklahoma) 02 August 05 Purdy man dies from rattlesnake bite
Purdy, Okla. (AP): A 25-year-old man died after being bitten by a timber rattlesnake, his uncle said Monday.
Bobby Don Womack is the first victim in Oklahoma to die from a bite in the wild in at least 25 years, according to the state medical examiner's office.
Womack was bitten Saturday evening, his uncle, Joey Williams, said Monday. On the way to the hospital with his father, their car got a flat tire. Womack passed out, and another motorist stopped and took him and his father to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
"The family is so torn up, they can't do anything," Williams said.
Womack has a 3-year-old son, and his girlfriend is pregnant with his second child, which is due in March, Williams said.
Womack spotted a snake on the family's property about 5:30 p.m. and went to catch it, Williams said.
When he went to grab the baby snake, he was bit on his right hand between the thumb and finger, Williams said. The bite apparently hit an artery.
Lindsay Municipal Hospital is a 10-mile drive from the home. Williams said the family kills more than 10 snakes a year in the area.
Williams said his nephew attended Dibble High School. He was the youngest of four children.
Dr. Lee McGoodwin, managing director and a clinical toxicologist for the Oklahoma Poison Control Center, said deaths from rattlesnake bites are extremely rare.
She said only one person died in the United States of a rattlesnake bite from 1,245 cases in 2003, the last year for which numbers are available.
Residents should wear boots and watch where they put their hands and feet when they go outside, she said. If bitten, victims should not try to suck out the venom or make a tourniquet. She said the victim should not try to catch the snake but try to stay calm and seek immediate medical attention.
Kevin Rowland, chief investigator for the state medical examiner's office, said it's been at least 25 years since a death of a person bitten in the Oklahoma wild.
He said a man in Jefferson County was bitten earlier this year while driving. At the time, the man was carrying a snake in his shirt, trying to keep it warm.
The man refused medical help and died the next day, Rowland said.
Womack's funeral will be 10 a.m. Thursday at Purdy Cemetery.
Purdy man dies from rattlesnake bite

Very Sad....should have called 911, he might have had a chance with the Paramedics.

Better to stay put and have qualified medics give supportive care (treat for shock)and life flight you out to the hospital.

Al
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"Fighting on the forums is like competing in the Special Olympics, even if you win, you're still retarded."

DH June 2005