Poisonous snakes can undoubtedly cause fear and some of the most negative feelings towards some this crawling part of the animal world. The venom of poisonous snakes is so deadly that it can induce paralysis and death in no more than thirty minutes, not to mention the risk of getting blind if any of the toxins are sprayed into the eyes. Though the risk of bites remains high when you accidentally come across them, poisonous snakes are creatures like all others but rely on their venom to survive: snakes only bite to hunt or defend themselves . The rest of the negative feelings towards snakes comes from an incorrect perception nurtured by ancient myths.

The composition of the venom secreted by poisonous snakes is very complex: there is mainly a combination of proteins and toxins that when spread in the prey's body paralyze and eventually kill it. The toxin weakens the heart, the lungs and the muscles first, and starting from this way of action scientists have classified poisonous snakes into variety that destroy blood vessels and cause unstoppable hemorrhage, venomous species that have a paralyzing effect on the heart and, last but not least, others that only cause terrible muscle pain. Corals and cobras would thus occupy the first positions in a top of the most poisonous snakes.

The complex structure of the snake venom still fascinates scientists, and lots of tests are still conducted on it. The only cure for poisonous snakes bites consists of the immediate administration of antivenins. There are however some factors that increase or decrease the victim's chances of survival: thus, knowing the type of snake that caused the bite and its exact location prove crucial. If there is too much time between the moment of the bite and the antidote injection, the victim will suffer extensive health damage or even die. Furthermore, there have been cases of patients who developed instant allergies to poisonous snake bites or to antidotes and died.

Rattlesnakes are the most common poisonous snakes in America, and they are the ones to cause most of the bites, yet death from such accidents is a rarity in our times since medical help is not a problem anymore. The water moccasin, the copperhead and the cottonmouth belong to the same poisonous family as the rattlesnake; they are highly poisonous snakes too that would surely mark the days of anyone who gets bitten. Stressful incidents involving snake attacks are often behind snake phobia or this excessive fear can have roots in sociological ancestral traditions that are present even with people who have never come across a snake in their life.

The snake is also a mythical representation not just an animal people feel abhorred by. The representations of snakes in our arts and cultures draw their roots from the ancient mythical times. On the one hand, serpents are part of ecosystems, with a well-established role in the evolution of certain species, and secondly they remain figurative spokesmen of deep meanings. Their feeding on mice and rats keeps pest under control and prevents rodents from over-breeding. Yet, in the ancient traditions, types of snake worshiping were part of religious rites, with the serpent symbolizing deities, or the immutable circle of life and death or wisdom.

All types of snake-related beliefs have been identified around the globe: for the ancient Greeks the snake was the a sign of sexual potency; Mesopotamians and Semites considered this animal immortal because it moulted and it rejuvenated its look on a regular basis; Indians, Siamese and Burmese considered the snake the embodiment of a demon that also had its good parts.
 

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