346
FINDLAY E. RUSSELL
A word might be added regarding the treatment of these injuries
since they occur more frequently than injuries by any of the other
venomous fish. A treatment to be successful must be instituted early
and vigorously, and should be initiated by the victim. It must be
directed towards alleviating the pain, preventing complications
that may be evoked by the venom, and preventing secondary infections
(Russell, 1953a).
The standard procedure for treatment of stingray injuries is
well established. Injuries to an extremity should be irrigated with
the salt water a t hand, since much of the venom can be washed from
the wound by this step. An attempt should be made to remove the
integumentary sheath if it can be seen in the wound. If a properly
qualified person is available, he may apply a constriction band directly
above the wound site. The extremity should then be submerged in
hot water a t as high a temperature as the patient can tolerate without
injury for 30-90 min. The addition of sodium chloride or magnesium
sulfate to the hot water is optional. The wound should then be further
examined for evidence of the integumentary sheath, debrided, sutured
if necessary, and the appropriate antitetanus agents administered.
While infections of these wounds are rare in properly treated cases,
some physicians routinely give antibiotics. Elevation of the injured
extremity is advised. Further medical advice can be obtained elsewhere (Russell et al., 1958a).
We have studied 1725 cases of stingray injury during the past
15 years, and have found that in almost every case where the above
therapeutic measures have been used there has been a degree of success
ranging from complete alleviation of symptoms to “ some improvement ” of symptoms. We have also had the opportunity to clinically
evaluate the use of potassium permanganate, ammonia and cryotherapy.
We have found these measures to be of no value in the treatment of
this entity.
B. WeeverJish
The weevers, members of the piscine family Trachinidae, are small
marine fishes which are confined to the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. The name “ weever ” is probably derived from a corruption of the Anglo-Saxon ,‘‘ wivre”, meaning viper. The lesser weever,
Trachinus vipera (Fig. 17), reaches a total length of approximately
11 cm. These fish are found in large numbers in the shallow waters of
certain off-shore sandy grounds along the southeast English coast, in
the continental southern North Sea, and along the coasts of the English
Channel and Mediterranean Sea. They are often taken by inshore
FINDLAY E. RUSSELL
A word might be added regarding the treatment of these injuries
since they occur more frequently than injuries by any of the other
venomous fish. A treatment to be successful must be instituted early
and vigorously, and should be initiated by the victim. It must be
directed towards alleviating the pain, preventing complications
that may be evoked by the venom, and preventing secondary infections
(Russell, 1953a).
The standard procedure for treatment of stingray injuries is
well established. Injuries to an extremity should be irrigated with
the salt water a t hand, since much of the venom can be washed from
the wound by this step. An attempt should be made to remove the
integumentary sheath if it can be seen in the wound. If a properly
qualified person is available, he may apply a constriction band directly
above the wound site. The extremity should then be submerged in
hot water a t as high a temperature as the patient can tolerate without
injury for 30-90 min. The addition of sodium chloride or magnesium
sulfate to the hot water is optional. The wound should then be further
examined for evidence of the integumentary sheath, debrided, sutured
if necessary, and the appropriate antitetanus agents administered.
While infections of these wounds are rare in properly treated cases,
some physicians routinely give antibiotics. Elevation of the injured
extremity is advised. Further medical advice can be obtained elsewhere (Russell et al., 1958a).
We have studied 1725 cases of stingray injury during the past
15 years, and have found that in almost every case where the above
therapeutic measures have been used there has been a degree of success
ranging from complete alleviation of symptoms to “ some improvement ” of symptoms. We have also had the opportunity to clinically
evaluate the use of potassium permanganate, ammonia and cryotherapy.
We have found these measures to be of no value in the treatment of
this entity.
B. WeeverJish
The weevers, members of the piscine family Trachinidae, are small
marine fishes which are confined to the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. The name “ weever ” is probably derived from a corruption of the Anglo-Saxon ,‘‘ wivre”, meaning viper. The lesser weever,
Trachinus vipera (Fig. 17), reaches a total length of approximately
11 cm. These fish are found in large numbers in the shallow waters of
certain off-shore sandy grounds along the southeast English coast, in
the continental southern North Sea, and along the coasts of the English
Channel and Mediterranean Sea. They are often taken by inshore