Medical Management of snakebite in Namibia Trade Title
| Publisher | Namibia Publishing House |
|---|---|
| Print Price | N$ 100.00 |
| Print ISBN | 9789991604930 |
For a boy, growing up in Namibia during the 1960s without falling in love with nature was unthinkable. My father’s passion for the wild and the privilege of crisscrossing the country with him on numerous museum expeditions laid the foundation for my avid scientific curiosity.
The lack of a medical practitioner dedicated to the management of snakebite in Namibia afforded me the ideal opportunity to combine my medical knowledge - having qualified as a medical doctor (M.B., Ch.B., UOFS) during 1976 - with the knowledge of snakes I had acquired earlier. Since then, 1 have managed some 300 cases of snakebite, either directly or in a consulting capacity, and obtained the additional degree
of M.Med. (O.R.L.), U.O.F.S., in 1984. The book Snakes of South West Africa (later Snakes of Namibia), written by my father and me, was published in Afrikaans, English and German in 1983.
During the 1970s, 1 identified a problem regarding Zebra Snake bites, and my suspicion that the available polyvalent antivenom does not neutralise that snake's venom was confirmed by the SAIMR. An immediate plan of action was implemented to research this issue and ultimately develop a specific antivenom.
A comprehensive guide to the snakes of Namibia is planned for the near future in col laboration with a Namibian herpetologist.