Snakes have lived on Earth for millions of years. There are over 4,000 species of snakes and 200 of them can either put you in serious pain or can unalive you. Snakes might be scary, but they are cool reptiles that can benefit humans in many ways. Snake venom can do lots of harm, but some of the enzymes and proteins in the venom can help heal illnesses. Venom can be good! There are a few tools to help snakes, which include venom glands, lungs, a windpipe, stomach,  liver,  heart, kidneys, and a tongue. My name is Hunter, come with me to explore some cool, yet scary snakes.

                                               Snake venom

Venom is a combination of different enzymes and proteins. The types of venoms get their names from how the mixtures of certain proteins and enzymes affect the body. Venom can do lots of harm, but some of the enzymes and proteins can also help heal illnesses. Here are all the different types of snake venoms:

Neurotoxic venom

- This type of venom will affect the nervous system.

- It blocks the signals from the nerves to the muscles.

- It causes paralysis, breathing problems, and sometimes respiratory failure.

- This venom acts super fast.

Hemotoxic venom

- This venom can cause cardiovascular failure.

- It turns your blood into a jelly-like substance.

- Demolishes red blood cells.

Cytotoxic venom

-This venom causes pain and swelling.

-It kills cells in your body.

-It also causes necrosis (tissue death).

Myotoxic venom

-It causes muscle damage.

-It can kill cells.

-It also causes necrosis (tissue death).

Proteolytic venom

-All venomous snakes have this venom.

-It breaks down the tissue of the snake's prey, and helps the snake with digestion.

                                      Snake Venom in Medicine

Snake venom has been used in medicine for thousands of years. In ancient Rome they used snake venom to make medicine for fevers, wounds, and leprosy. In the Middle Ages, snake venom was used in some sort of mixture called Theriac. This medicine was supposed to cure almost all of the diseases, and even the black death. Today, snake venom is used in modern medicine and research.

Veterinary Medicine:

-Venom is used to make vaccines for snake bites in animals.

-Venom is used to help make medicine for animals with heart and breathing problems. These medicines help cats and dogs with heart failure, high blood pressure and to stop bleeding.

  Human Medicine:

                     Snake venom is also used for research and treatment of human diseases including inflammation, pain, viruses, strokes, Lupus, certain cancers and even Alzheimer's.

                 How Antivenom is Made.

Step 1: The venom is extracted from a snake through a process where snakes bite and inject venom into a cup. This is a process called milking.

Step 2: They take a small amount of venom (that is not deadly) and inject it into an  animal (mostly goats, sheep, and horses). They inject it many times over a few weeks. The animal's body starts fighting the venom by making antibodies in their blood.

Step 3: The scientists draw blood from the animal and then they separate the blood from the antibodies. Then the antibodies are used as the antivenom.

              Insularis Pit Viper

These guys live in Indonesia and East Timor. Each bite can inject up to 50 milligrams of venom. Their venom is hemotoxic and can put you in the hospital. They are known for their beautiful blue scales. To survive a bite from one of these snakes, you must first move away from the snake. Next, stay calm and don't put on a Band-aid, don't put on a tourniquet that will stop blood flow,  and do not suck out the venom! Call emergency services or get to the nearest hospital fast for treatment.

        Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
They Live in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. It holds the record for the most venom per bite in North America.  Its maximum potential can be somewhere around 800-1000 mg! For reference, a human's lethal venom limit is around 100-150 mg. They are known for their back with cool diamond patterns. It mainly has Hemotoxic and Neurotoxic venom.