Dead snake-handler’s family sues hospital

This is an interesting case. The family of a woman who died after being bitten while handling a rattlesnake during a religious service have sued the hospital she was taken to for failing to correctly treat her. They claim

After being taken into the hospital at 8:09 p.m., Long said she was having trouble breathing, and asked for oxygen. Hospital employees gave her a portable, oscillating fan as they allegedly “snickered and made derogatory comments” to employees – and Long’s family – about the religious beliefs and circumstances under which she was bitten.

Her blood pressure dropped; her heart rate went up; her neck, face and tongue swelled; and she went into shock. However, a doctor failed to properly treat her and did not put in a tube to help her breathe, according to the lawsuit.

At 8:28 p.m., hospital personnel contacted the air ambulance service. When the helicopter arrived 12 minutes later, the crew asked the doctor to put in a tube to help Long breathe, but the doctor said her airway was not the problem and told the flight crew to get her to Lexington quickly, the suit says.

Long’s heart stopped on the way. She was pronounced dead at 10:50 p.m. at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

Serious allegations. While, personally, I think anyone who deliberately antagonised a lethally venomous animal for recreation pretty much deserves anything they get, it is not the the place of the hospital to take that stance, and they have a responsibility to offer treatment, regardless of how the injury was sustained. I’m no toxicologist, but I do know that most rattlesnake venom attacks the heart and/or blood directly, so the cause of death was likely not her breathing difficulty, just like the Doctor said, although that doesn’t justify the attitude of the hospital staff, if this report is to be believed.

The article doesn’t make it clear, but I’d be willing to bet that while the deceased’s family are suing the hospital for failing to correctly treat her, they won’t be overly down on God for letting the snake bite her in the first place.