On August 30th， according to Kuaikeji， a 78-year-old man in Lincang， Yunnan， was bitten by a snake. His son-in-law， carrying the dead body of a king cobra measuring over 2 meters， rushed the elder to the hospital. This incident has garnered significant public attention and sparked discussions on the proper procedures for snakebite emergency response.
The son-in-law accompanied the elder into the Snakebite Treatment Center at Lincang Second People’s Hospital with the express purpose of enabling doctors to quickly identify the snake species and administer the correct antivenom. This “bringing the snake to the doctor” action led to widespread debate among netizens.
Medical staff immediately identified the culprit as a highly venomous king cobra. The elder’s poisoning symptoms progressed rapidly， leading to immobility， respiratory distress， and cyanosis of the face and lips， indicative of neurotoxic effects. After 12 hours of intensive medical intervention， the elder was successfully stabilized and pulled back from the brink of death.
Public opinion on the son-in-law’s actions was divided. Some praised his bravery and foresight， believing that bringing the snake aided in rapid diagnosis. Others expressed concern about the significant risks involved， highlighting the potential for further harm if the snake， even dead， were to cause another bite.
A previous case from Hangzhou further illustrates the dangers of “bringing the snake to the doctor.” An elderly man， Mr. Wang， was bitten by a snake while fishing. In an attempt to bring the snake to the hospital for identification， he grasped it with his bare hands， resulting in a second bite. Although he eventually recovered， his condition was nearly worsened by this action.
Firefighting and medical experts have explicitly advised against the practice of “bringing the snake to the doctor，” citing several critical risks:
Firstly， snakes possess rapid defensive reflexes， and attempting to capture or transport them can easily lead to secondary bites.
Secondly， pursuing or carrying a snake can consume valuable time during the critical golden hour of treatment， potentially accelerating venom diffusion.
Thirdly， modern hospitals are equipped with a variety of antivenoms. Doctors can accurately determine the snake species through careful examination of the wound， the patient’s symptoms， and diagnostic tests， without the necessity of having the physical specimen.
Fourthly， even after death， a snake’s nervous system can remain active for several hours， meaning its corpse can still exhibit reflex biting behavior.
As snake activity typically peaks during this time of year， experts emphasize that in the unfortunate event of a snakebite， the most crucial steps are to remain calm， immediately move away from the snake， and clearly remember the snake’s appearance， including its color and patterns， or take a photograph if possible. Subsequently， seek immediate medical attention at a hospital equipped with antivenom. It is strongly advised to avoid any attempts to capture or transport the snake， as improper handling can lead to more severe consequences.
