Doctor says snakebite probably killed woman

[Guest guest]

Doctor says snakebite probably killed woman

The doctor said the family reacted correctly, but the woman suffered an

extreme reaction.

By _Neil Harvey_ (mailto:neil.harvey@...)

981-3349

A Henry County woman who died last week after collapsing in her yard is

believed to have been killed by a snakebite, her doctor said Thursday.

June Engle, 62, of Ridgeway was working in her garden about 2 p.m. May 13

when, according to her husband, she cried out in pain.

" I heard her scream and she said 'Something bit me,' " Joe Engle recalled. " I

could see blood flowing from her left finger. She started toward the house

.... and then collapsed before she got to the door. "

Engle said he performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for about a minute, then

called 911. His wife was taken to Memorial Hospital of sville and

Henry County, and about two hours later was flown to the University of Virginia

Medical Center.

" What our conjecture is, she had a reaction to the bite, almost like an

anaphylactic reaction, almost like an allergic reaction, " said Dr. Enfield,

a fellow in pulmonary and critical care who treated June Engle at UVa.

Joe Engle said his wife of 44 years had no allergies that he knew of. Enfield

also said she had no medical conditions and took no prescribed medications

that would have contributed to her reaction. But over the course of the day,

Engle said, his wife's condition got progressively worse.

" Her whole body just broke down, " he recalled. " She just stopped functioning,

basically. Liver. Kidneys. Her lungs were filling up with fluid, and the

signs just didn't look good at all.

" It got down to the point that the doctor recommended we take her off of the

ventilator, " he said. " That's what we decided to do, because there was no

hope. "

June Engle was taken off the respirator May 15, her husband said, and she

died later that day. Enfield said the family declined an autopsy and the medical

examiner reviewed the case but did not believe there was a need for further

inquiry.

Although the specific cause of death is not known, Enfield said he believes

it was a product of organ failure caused by snakebite.

Engle said he didn't see a snake that day and hasn't seen one in the garden

since last year, but he also believes a snake caused the bites.

" She had a couple of bites on the back of her left hand and what looked like

a couple of marks on her forearm, which could've been bites as well, " Enfield

explained. He said the bites were far enough apart to rule out the

possibility of a spider bite.

" When she got to us, her arm was swollen, so it made it difficult to get an

exam, " he added. " That's one of the reactions to snakebite. "

Although death by snakebite is very rare in Virginia, Enfield thinks it could

have been a timber rattlesnake, a copperhead or a pit viper, also known as

an eastern cottonmouth. All three species exist within the state, according to

the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Calvin Reynolds, director of health statistics for the Virginia Department of

Health, said death by snakebite is " a very rare occurrence " in the state. He

said there have been only two reported deaths in Virginia over the past 15

years -- one in Chesterfield County in 1993 and another in Lee County in 2004.

" It's an exceedingly rare kind of reaction, " Enfield agreed. " It's just one

of those very sad things where everything was done the right way and a very

sad outcome occurred. The family really needs to rest assured that they did

everything appropriately. "

He said that after a snakebite, the most important thing to do is " try to

keep the person calm. Immobilize the arm but don't put a tourniquet on it. Get

the person medical attention as soon as possible. Which is all the things the

family did. "

Engle said he's still overwhelmed by the swiftness of it all.

" It's strange, happening on a beautiful spring day when you're out working on

something you love and nobody's shooting at you or dropping bombs on you, "

he said. " You're in a safe environment and, wham. It hit her like a ton of

bricks. "

_http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/xp-163155_

(http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/xp-163155)

Louis N. Molino, Sr., CET

FF/NREMT-B/FSI/EMSI

Freelance Consultant/Trainer/Author/Journalist/Fire Protection Consultant

LNMolino@...

(Cell Phone)

(Home Phone)

(IFW/TFW/FSS Office)

(IFW/TFW/FSS Fax)

" A Texan with a Jersey Attitude "

" Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds

discuss people " Eleanor Roosevelt - US diplomat & reformer (1884 - 1962)

The comments contained in this E-mail are the opinions of the author and the

author alone. I in no way ever intend to speak for any person or

organization that I am in any way whatsoever involved or associated with unless

I

specifically state that I am doing so. Further this E-mail is intended only for

its

stated recipient and may contain private and or confidential materials

retransmission is strictly prohibited unless placed in the public domain by the

original author.

**************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch " Cooking with

Tyler Florence " on AOL Food.

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[Guest guest]

What the article does not say is whether or not the patient was given CroFab

or any other antivenin. Did they miss the snakebite and fail to treat it?

It is also quite alarming that the family " declined an autopsy " and the

medical examiner believed there was no need for one. So could this possibly be

a

homicide?

Gene G.

>

>

> Doctor says snakebite probably killed woman

> The doctor said the family reacted correctly, but the woman suffered an

> extreme reaction.

> By _Neil Harvey_ (mailto:neil.harvey@...)

> 981-3349

>

> A Henry County woman who died last week after collapsing in her yard is

> believed to have been killed by a snakebite, her doctor said Thursday.

> June Engle, 62, of Ridgeway was working in her garden about 2 p.m. May 13

> when, according to her husband, she cried out in pain.

> " I heard her scream and she said 'Something bit me,' " Joe Engle recalled.

> " I

> could see blood flowing from her left finger. She started toward the house

> ... and then collapsed before she got to the door. "

> Engle said he performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for about a minute,

> then

> called 911. His wife was taken to Memorial Hospital of sville and

> Henry County, and about two hours later was flown to the University of

> Virginia

> Medical Center.

> " What our conjecture is, she had a reaction to the bite, almost like an

> anaphylactic reaction, almost like an allergic reaction, " said Dr.

> Enfield,

> a fellow in pulmonary and critical care who treated June Engle at UVa.

> Joe Engle said his wife of 44 years had no allergies that he knew of.

> Enfield

> also said she had no medical conditions and took no prescribed medications

> that would have contributed to her reaction. But over the course of the day,

> Engle said, his wife's condition got progressively worse.

> " Her whole body just broke down, " he recalled. " She just stopped

> functioning,

> basically. Liver. Kidneys. Her lungs were filling up with fluid, and the

> signs just didn't look good at all.

> " It got down to the point that the doctor recommended we take her off of the

> ventilator, " he said. " That's what we decided to do, because there was no

> hope. "

> June Engle was taken off the respirator May 15, her husband said, and she

> died later that day. Enfield said the family declined an autopsy and the

> medical

> examiner reviewed the case but did not believe there was a need for further

> inquiry.

> Although the specific cause of death is not known, Enfield said he believes

> it was a product of organ failure caused by snakebite.

> Engle said he didn't see a snake that day and hasn't seen one in the garden

> since last year, but he also believes a snake caused the bites.

> " She had a couple of bites on the back of her left hand and what looked like

> a couple of marks on her forearm, which could've been bites as well, "

> Enfield

> explained. He said the bites were far enough apart to rule out the

> possibility of a spider bite.

> " When she got to us, her arm was swollen, so it made it difficult to get an

> exam, " he added. " That's one of the reactions to snakebite. "

> Although death by snakebite is very rare in Virginia, Enfield thinks it

> could

> have been a timber rattlesnake, a copperhead or a pit viper, also known as

> an eastern cottonmouth. All three species exist within the state, according

> to

> the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

> Calvin Reynolds, director of health statistics for the Virginia Department

> of

> Health, said death by snakebite is " a very rare occurrence " in the state. He

> said there have been only two reported deaths in Virginia over the past 15

> years -- one in Chesterfield County in 1993 and another in Lee County in

> 2004.

> " It's an exceedingly rare kind of reaction, " Enfield agreed. " It's just one

> of those very sad things where everything was done the right way and a very

> sad outcome occurred. The family really needs to rest assured that they did

> everything appropriately. e

> He said that after a snakebite, the most important thing to do is " try to

> keep the person calm. Immobilize the arm but don't put a tourniquet on it.

> Get

> the person medical attention as soon as possible. Which is all the things

> the

> family did. "

> Engle said he's still overwhelmed by the swiftness of it all.

> " It's strange, happening on a beautiful spring day when you're out working

> on

> something you love and nobody's shooting at you or dropping bombs on you, "

> he said. " You're in a safe environment and, wham. It hit her like a ton of

> bricks. "

>

> _http://www.roanoke.http://wwhttp://www.http://www

> (http://www.roanoke.http://wwhttp://www.http://ww)

>

> Louis N. Molino, Sr., CET

> FF/NREMT-B/FSI/ FF/

> Freelance Consultant/Trainer/ Freelance Cons Freelance Consultant/Traine

>

> LNMolino@...

>

> (Cell Phone)

> (Home Phone)

> (IFW/TFW/FSS Office)

> (IFW/TFW/FSS Fax)

>

> " A Texan with a Jersey Attitude "

>

> " Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds

> discuss people " Eleanor Roosevelt - US diplomat & reformer (1884 - 1962)

>

> The comments contained in this E-mail are the opinions of the author and the

> author alone. I in no way ever intend to speak for any person or

> organization that I am in any way whatsoever involved or associated with

> unless I

> specifically state that I am doing so. Further this E-mail is intended only

> for its

> stated recipient and may contain private and or confidential materials

> retransmission is strictly prohibited unless placed in the public domain by

> the

> original author.

>

> ************ ************<wbr>**Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Wa

> Tyler Florence " on AOL Food.

> (http://food.http://food.<whttp://fohttp:// & ??<wbr>NCID=aolfo?<wbr>NCI)

>

>

[Guest guest]

Other articles about this are pretty clear that she received multiple

vials of antivenin once she reached the UVa hospital. She was treated

by their toxicology staff. Don't believe I'd hang the doc yet.

wegandy1938@... wrote:

>

> What the article does not say is whether or not the patient was given

> CroFab

> or any other antivenin. Did they miss the snakebite and fail to treat it?

>

> It is also quite alarming that the family " declined an autopsy " and the

> medical examiner believed there was no need for one. So could this

> possibly be a

> homicide?

>

> Gene G.

> In a message dated 5/25/08 4:15:32 PM, lnmolino@...

> <mailto:lnmolino%40aol.com> writes:

>

> >

> >

> > Doctor says snakebite probably killed woman

> > The doctor said the family reacted correctly, but the woman suffered an

> > extreme reaction.

> > By _Neil Harvey_ (mailto:neil.harvey@...

> <mailto:neil.harvey%40neil.harvey>)

> > 981-3349

> >

> > A Henry County woman who died last week after collapsing in her yard is

> > believed to have been killed by a snakebite, her doctor said Thursday.

> > June Engle, 62, of Ridgeway was working in her garden about 2 p.m.

> May 13

> > when, according to her husband, she cried out in pain.

> > " I heard her scream and she said 'Something bit me,' " Joe Engle

> recalled.

> > " I

> > could see blood flowing from her left finger. She started toward the

> house

> > ... and then collapsed before she got to the door. "

> > Engle said he performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for about a

> minute,

> > then

> > called 911. His wife was taken to Memorial Hospital of sville and

> > Henry County, and about two hours later was flown to the University of

> > Virginia

> > Medical Center.

> > " What our conjecture is, she had a reaction to the bite, almost like an

> > anaphylactic reaction, almost like an allergic reaction, " said Dr.

> > Enfield,

> > a fellow in pulmonary and critical care who treated June Engle at UVa.

> > Joe Engle said his wife of 44 years had no allergies that he knew of.

> > Enfield

> > also said she had no medical conditions and took no prescribed

> medications

> > that would have contributed to her reaction. But over the course of

> the day,

> > Engle said, his wife's condition got progressively worse.

> > " Her whole body just broke down, " he recalled. " She just stopped

> > functioning,

> > basically. Liver. Kidneys. Her lungs were filling up with fluid, and the

> > signs just didn't look good at all.

> > " It got down to the point that the doctor recommended we take her

> off of the

> > ventilator, " he said. " That's what we decided to do, because there

> was no

> > hope. "

> > June Engle was taken off the respirator May 15, her husband said,

> and she

> > died later that day. Enfield said the family declined an autopsy and

> the

> > medical

> > examiner reviewed the case but did not believe there was a need for

> further

> > inquiry.

> > Although the specific cause of death is not known, Enfield said he

> believes

> > it was a product of organ failure caused by snakebite.

> > Engle said he didn't see a snake that day and hasn't seen one in the

> garden

> > since last year, but he also believes a snake caused the bites.

> > " She had a couple of bites on the back of her left hand and what

> looked like

> > a couple of marks on her forearm, which could've been bites as well, "

> > Enfield

> > explained. He said the bites were far enough apart to rule out the

> > possibility of a spider bite.

> > " When she got to us, her arm was swollen, so it made it difficult to

> get an

> > exam, " he added. " That's one of the reactions to snakebite. "

> > Although death by snakebite is very rare in Virginia, Enfield thinks it

> > could

> > have been a timber rattlesnake, a copperhead or a pit viper, also

> known as

> > an eastern cottonmouth. All three species exist within the state,

> according

> > to

> > the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

> > Calvin Reynolds, director of health statistics for the Virginia

> Department

> > of

> > Health, said death by snakebite is " a very rare occurrence " in the

> state. He

> > said there have been only two reported deaths in Virginia over the

> past 15

> > years -- one in Chesterfield County in 1993 and another in Lee

> County in

> > 2004.

> > " It's an exceedingly rare kind of reaction, " Enfield agreed. " It's

> just one

> > of those very sad things where everything was done the right way and

> a very

> > sad outcome occurred. The family really needs to rest assured that

> they did

> > everything appropriately. e

> > He said that after a snakebite, the most important thing to do is

> " try to

> > keep the person calm. Immobilize the arm but don't put a tourniquet

> on it.

> > Get

> > the person medical attention as soon as possible. Which is all the

> things

> > the

> > family did. "

> > Engle said he's still overwhelmed by the swiftness of it all.

> > " It's strange, happening on a beautiful spring day when you're out

> working

> > on

> > something you love and nobody's shooting at you or dropping bombs on

> you, "

> > he said. " You're in a safe environment and, wham. It hit her like a

> ton of

> > bricks. "

> >

> > _http://www.roanoke.http://wwhttp://www.http://www

> <http://www.roanoke.http://wwhttp://www.http://www>

> > (http://www.roanoke.http://wwhttp://www.http://ww

> <http://www.roanoke.http://wwhttp://www.http://ww>)

> >

> > Louis N. Molino, Sr., CET

> > FF/NREMT-B/FSI/ FF/

> > Freelance Consultant/Trainer/ Freelance Cons Freelance Consultant/Traine

> >

> > LNMolino@... <mailto:LNMolino%40aol.LNM>

> >

> > (Cell Phone)

> > (Home Phone)

> > (IFW/TFW/FSS Office)

> > (IFW/TFW/FSS Fax)

> >

> > " A Texan with a Jersey Attitude "

> >

> > " Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds

> > discuss people " Eleanor Roosevelt - US diplomat & reformer (1884 - 1962)

> >

> > The comments contained in this E-mail are the opinions of the author

> and the

> > author alone. I in no way ever intend to speak for any person or

> > organization that I am in any way whatsoever involved or associated

> with

> > unless I

> > specifically state that I am doing so. Further this E-mail is

> intended only

> > for its

> > stated recipient and may contain private and or confidential materials

> > retransmission is strictly prohibited unless placed in the public

> domain by

> > the

> > original author.

> >

> > ************ ************<wbr>**Get trade secrets for amazing

> burgers. Wa

> > Tyler Florence " on AOL Food.

> > (http://food.http://food.

> <http://food.http://food.><whttp://fohttp:// & ??

> <whttp://fohttp:// & ??><wbr>NCID=aolfo?<wbr>NCI)

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I was only asking questions not addressed in the posted article, not trying

to hang anybody. On this topic, in today's paper there is an article about

the increasing death rate from snakebites. Nobody is sure what's causing it,

but more and more people are having the reaction this woman did. Apparently

there have been multiple cases of extreme anaphylactic/shock reactions

followed by multiple organ failures.

GG

>

> Other articles about this are pretty clear that she received multiple

> vials of antivenin once she reached the UVa hospital. She was treated

> by their toxicology staff. Don't believe I'd hang the doc yet.

>

> wegandy1938@wegandy wrote:

> >

> > What the article does not say is whether or not the patient was given

> > CroFab

> > or any other antivenin. Did they miss the snakebite and fail to treat it?

> >

> > It is also quite alarming that the family " declined an autopsy " and the

> > medical examiner believed there was no need for one. So could this

> > possibly be a

> > homicide?

> >

> > Gene G.

> > In a message dated 5/25/08 4:15:32 PM, lnmolino@...

> > <mailto:lnmolino%mailto:ln> writes:

> >

> > >

> > >

> > > Doctor says snakebite probably killed woman

> > > The doctor said the family reacted correctly, but the woman suffered an

> > > extreme reaction.

> > > By _Neil Harvey_ (mailto:neil.harvey@...

> > <mailto:neil.mailto:neil.<wmailto>)

> > > 981-3349

> > >

> > > A Henry County woman who died last week after collapsing in her yard is

> > > believed to have been killed by a snakebite, her doctor said Thursday.

> > > June Engle, 62, of Ridgeway was working in her garden about 2 p.m.

> > May 13

> > > when, according to her husband, she cried out in pain.

> > > " I heard her scream and she said 'Something bit me,' " Joe Engle

> > recalled.

> > > " I

> > > could see blood flowing from her left finger. She started toward the

> > house

> > > ... and then collapsed before she got to the door. "

> > > Engle said he performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for about a

> > minute,

> > > then

> > > called 911. His wife was taken to Memorial Hospital of sville and

> > > Henry County, and about two hours later was flown to the University of

> > > Virginia

> > > Medical Center.

> > > " What our conjecture is, she had a reaction to the bite, almost like an

> > > anaphylactic reaction, almost like an allergic reaction, " said Dr.

> > > Enfield,

> > > a fellow in pulmonary and critical care who treated June Engle at UVa.

> > > Joe Engle said his wife of 44 years had no allergies that he knew of.

> > > Enfield

> > > also said she had no medical conditions and took no prescribed

> > medications

> > > that would have contributed to her reaction. But over the course of

> > the day,

> > > Engle said, his wife's condition got progressively worse.

> > > " Her whole body just broke down, " he recalled. " She just stopped

> > > functioning,

> > > basically. Liver. Kidneys. Her lungs were filling up with fluid, and the

> > > signs just didn't look good at all.

> > > " It got down to the point that the doctor recommended we take her

> > off of the

> > > ventilator, " he said. " That's what we decided to do, because there

> > was no

> > > hope. "

> > > June Engle was taken off the respirator May 15, her husband said,

> > and she

> > > died later that day. Enfield said the family declined an autopsy and

> > the

> > > medical

> > > examiner reviewed the case but did not believe there was a need for

> > further

> > > inquiry.

> > > Although the specific cause of death is not known, Enfield said he

> > believes

> > > it was a product of organ failure caused by snakebite.

> > > Engle said he didn't see a snake that day and hasn't seen one in the

> > garden

> > > since last year, but he also believes a snake caused the bites.

> > > " She had a couple of bites on the back of her left hand and what

> > looked like

> > > a couple of marks on her forearm, which could've been bites as well, "

> > > Enfield

> > > explained. He said the bites were far enough apart to rule out the

> > > possibility of a spider bite.

> > > " When she got to us, her arm was swollen, so it made it difficult to

> > get an

> > > exam, " he added. " That's one of the reactions to snakebite. "

> > > Although death by snakebite is very rare in Virginia, Enfield thinks it

> > > could

> > > have been a timber rattlesnake, a copperhead or a pit viper, also

> > known as

> > > an eastern cottonmouth. All three species exist within the state,

> > according

> > > to

> > > the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

> > > Calvin Reynolds, director of health statistics for the Virginia

> > Department

> > > of

> > > Health, said death by snakebite is " a very rare occurrence " in the

> > state. He

> > > said there have been only two reported deaths in Virginia over the

> > past 15

> > > years -- one in Chesterfield County in 1993 and another in Lee

> > County in

> > > 2004.

> > > " It's an exceedingly rare kind of reaction, " Enfield agreed. " It's

> > just one

> > > of those very sad things where everything was done the right way and

> > a very

> > > sad outcome occurred. The family really needs to rest assured that

> > they did

> > > everything appropriately. e

> > > He said that after a snakebite, the most important thing to do is

> > " try to

> > > keep the person calm. Immobilize the arm but don't put a tourniquet

> > on it.

> > > Get

> > > the person medical attention as soon as possible. Which is all the

> > things

> > > the

> > > family did. "

> > > Engle said he's still overwhelmed by the swiftness of it all.

> > > " It's strange, happening on a beautiful spring day when you're out

> > working

> > > on

> > > something you love and nobody's shooting at you or dropping bombs on

> > you, "

> > > he said. " You're in a safe environment and, wham. It hit her like a

> > ton of

> > > bricks. "

> > >

> > > _http://www.roanoke.http://www.roahttp://www.http:

> > <http://www.roanoke.http://www.roahttp://www.http:>

> > > (http://www.roanoke.http://www.roahttp://www.http

> > <http://www.roanoke.http://www.roahttp://www.http>)

> > >

> > > Louis N. Molino, Sr., CET

> > > FF/NREMT-B/FSI/ FF/

> > > Freelance Consultant/Trainer/ Freelance Cons Freelance Consultant/Traine

> > >

> > > LNMolino@... <mailto:LNMolino%mailto:LN>

> > >

> > > (Cell Phone)

> > > (Home Phone)

> > > (IFW/TFW/FSS Office)

> > > (IFW/TFW/FSS Fax)

> > >

> > > " A Texan with a Jersey Attitude "

> > >

> > > " Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds

> > > discuss people " Eleanor Roosevelt - US diplomat & reformer (1884 - 1962)

> > >

> > > The comments contained in this E-mail are the opinions of the author

> > and the

> > > author alone. I in no way ever intend to speak for any person or

> > > organization that I am in any way whatsoever involved or associated

> > with

> > > unless I

> > > specifically state that I am doing so. Further this E-mail is

> > intended only

> > > for its

> > > stated recipient and may contain private and or confidential materials

> > > retransmission is strictly prohibited unless placed in the public

> > domain by

> > > the

> > > original author.

> > >

> > > ************ ************<wbr>**Get trade secrets for amazing

> > burgers. Wa

> > > Tyler Florence " on AOL Food.

> > > (http://food.http://food.

> > <http://food.http://food.><whttp://fohttp:wh & ??

> > <whttp://fohttp:wh & ??><wbr>NCID=aolfo?<wbr>NCI)

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

It could be that the venom of the snakes is getting more toxic. a case of

evolution at work. I hope not but maybe that is an answer. But I have no doubt

that the toxicologist have already investigated this.

wegandy1938@... wrote: I was only asking questions not addressed in

the posted article, not trying

to hang anybody. On this topic, in today's paper there is an article about

the increasing death rate from snakebites. Nobody is sure what's causing it,

but more and more people are having the reaction this woman did. Apparently

there have been multiple cases of extreme anaphylactic/shock reactions

followed by multiple organ failures.

GG

>

> Other articles about this are pretty clear that she received multiple

> vials of antivenin once she reached the UVa hospital. She was treated

> by their toxicology staff. Don't believe I'd hang the doc yet.

>

> wegandy1938@wegandy wrote:

> >

> > What the article does not say is whether or not the patient was given

> > CroFab

> > or any other antivenin. Did they miss the snakebite and fail to treat it?

> >

> > It is also quite alarming that the family " declined an autopsy " and the

> > medical examiner believed there was no need for one. So could this

> > possibly be a

> > homicide?

> >

> > Gene G.

> > In a message dated 5/25/08 4:15:32 PM, lnmolino@...

> > <mailto:lnmolino%mailto:ln> writes:

> >

> > >

> > >

> > > Doctor says snakebite probably killed woman

> > > The doctor said the family reacted correctly, but the woman suffered an

> > > extreme reaction.

> > > By _Neil Harvey_ (mailto:neil.harvey@...

> > <mailto:neil.mailto:neil.<wmailto>)

> > > 981-3349

> > >

> > > A Henry County woman who died last week after collapsing in her yard is

> > > believed to have been killed by a snakebite, her doctor said Thursday.

> > > June Engle, 62, of Ridgeway was working in her garden about 2 p.m.

> > May 13

> > > when, according to her husband, she cried out in pain.

> > > " I heard her scream and she said 'Something bit me,' " Joe Engle

> > recalled.

> > > " I

> > > could see blood flowing from her left finger. She started toward the

> > house

> > > ... and then collapsed before she got to the door. "

> > > Engle said he performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for about a

> > minute,

> > > then

> > > called 911. His wife was taken to Memorial Hospital of sville and

> > > Henry County, and about two hours later was flown to the University of

> > > Virginia

> > > Medical Center.

> > > " What our conjecture is, she had a reaction to the bite, almost like an

> > > anaphylactic reaction, almost like an allergic reaction, " said Dr.

> > > Enfield,

> > > a fellow in pulmonary and critical care who treated June Engle at UVa.

> > > Joe Engle said his wife of 44 years had no allergies that he knew of.

> > > Enfield

> > > also said she had no medical conditions and took no prescribed

> > medications

> > > that would have contributed to her reaction. But over the course of

> > the day,

> > > Engle said, his wife's condition got progressively worse.

> > > " Her whole body just broke down, " he recalled. " She just stopped

> > > functioning,

> > > basically. Liver. Kidneys. Her lungs were filling up with fluid, and the

> > > signs just didn't look good at all.

> > > " It got down to the point that the doctor recommended we take her

> > off of the

> > > ventilator, " he said. " That's what we decided to do, because there

> > was no

> > > hope. "

> > > June Engle was taken off the respirator May 15, her husband said,

> > and she

> > > died later that day. Enfield said the family declined an autopsy and

> > the

> > > medical

> > > examiner reviewed the case but did not believe there was a need for

> > further

> > > inquiry.

> > > Although the specific cause of death is not known, Enfield said he

> > believes

> > > it was a product of organ failure caused by snakebite.

> > > Engle said he didn't see a snake that day and hasn't seen one in the

> > garden

> > > since last year, but he also believes a snake caused the bites.

> > > " She had a couple of bites on the back of her left hand and what

> > looked like

> > > a couple of marks on her forearm, which could've been bites as well, "

> > > Enfield

> > > explained. He said the bites were far enough apart to rule out the

> > > possibility of a spider bite.

> > > " When she got to us, her arm was swollen, so it made it difficult to

> > get an

> > > exam, " he added. " That's one of the reactions to snakebite. "

> > > Although death by snakebite is very rare in Virginia, Enfield thinks it

> > > could

> > > have been a timber rattlesnake, a copperhead or a pit viper, also

> > known as

> > > an eastern cottonmouth. All three species exist within the state,

> > according

> > > to

> > > the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

> > > Calvin Reynolds, director of health statistics for the Virginia

> > Department

> > > of

> > > Health, said death by snakebite is " a very rare occurrence " in the

> > state. He

> > > said there have been only two reported deaths in Virginia over the

> > past 15

> > > years -- one in Chesterfield County in 1993 and another in Lee

> > County in

> > > 2004.

> > > " It's an exceedingly rare kind of reaction, " Enfield agreed. " It's

> > just one

> > > of those very sad things where everything was done the right way and

> > a very

> > > sad outcome occurred. The family really needs to rest assured that

> > they did

> > > everything appropriately. e

> > > He said that after a snakebite, the most important thing to do is

> > " try to

> > > keep the person calm. Immobilize the arm but don't put a tourniquet

> > on it.

> > > Get

> > > the person medical attention as soon as possible. Which is all the

> > things

> > > the

> > > family did. "

> > > Engle said he's still overwhelmed by the swiftness of it all.

> > > " It's strange, happening on a beautiful spring day when you're out

> > working

> > > on

> > > something you love and nobody's shooting at you or dropping bombs on

> > you, "

> > > he said. " You're in a safe environment and, wham. It hit her like a

> > ton of

> > > bricks. "

> > >

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> > >

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[Guest guest]

would like the type of snake that bite this person. Us

has poison snake but one that kill this fast. just

can't see it most snake pioson is slow and to get a

mat to kill some is very . it just doesn't sound

right.