| Snakebites: The only one poisonous snake in Greece, | | | | needles coming in my direction. |
| its called an Ohiá and it bit me. It was 1998 and I was | | | | Taking blood samples for the hematology dept’ |
| on commission photographing for a client. Following my | | | | from one arm within minutes of anti venom being |
| intrepid boss up a dirt track I stepped on this snake by | | | | injected in the other. A very re-assuring voice |
| accident. I only new it was there when feeling the pain. | | | | removing more blood from my wrist (Both arms were |
| Squeezing my toes showed the puncture wounds. | | | | occupied) told me. “You’re lucky! If you arrived |
| Hopping back to the mini-market in San Stephanos (1.5 | | | | after two hours from a good bite we would not have |
| hours from Corfu Town) I was greeted by a me-lay | | | | bothered”… this followed by a reassuring grin |
| of Greeks RUNNING around on hearing the news. | | | | (Greek humor can be wearied). Staying overnight with |
| I’d lived in Greece for some years and seeing | | | | a saline drip stuck in another vacant position (Don’t |
| Greeks run was unheard off this worried me more | | | | ask) I spent the night in the upstairs ward. |
| than anything. | | | | I apparently have the dubious honor of being the first |
| Greeks never run, especially in the heat they shout | | | | none Greek to have been bitten in 20 years and quite |
| across a road in conversation before they’ll exert | | | | the mini star of the ward. It turned out my snake had |
| themselves. With the utmost haste they called the | | | | exhausted most of its venom during the season and |
| accident Clinic in Ipsos (Mid-journey back to Corfu | | | | had little left for me however I had to stay in the |
| General Hospital) and translated the news. What | | | | hospital for another 24 hours because they had no |
| followed were a series of events that taxed the | | | | idea how I would react to all the anti-venom coursing |
| nerves of one of the most intrepid Greek travelers. | | | | through my veins. On the plus side I had free medical |
| Arriving in Ipsos clinic I was wheeled past all the moped | | | | treatment that was very good although a bit too fast |
| accidents strait onto the table by my boss. (His driving | | | | for my nerves and only a 50-drx (20 euro) charge for |
| on the hairpin bends nearly sent us into the olive trees). | | | | the drugs. |
| Heart checked and lungs tested I was injected with a | | | | Snakebites are rare however this snake is a small |
| large dose of drugs that set my heart racing artificially | | | | cousin of the rattlesnake, brown with a criss cross |
| high, speeding up my system to counter any poison | | | | pattern on its back and will attack if provoked. If you're |
| that may be taking effect. Letter in hand from the clinic | | | | bitten, kill the snake for identification if you can |
| I was wheeled back into little Greek car by running | | | | (Don’t get bit again) and seek immediate medical |
| nurses at a speed that ‘Lewis Hamilton’ would | | | | attention (Under 2 hours and stay calm). Medical |
| have been proud of 45 mins later I was in the Corfu | | | | treatment in Greece is free for EEC residents for |
| General Hospital again the doctors were positively | | | | everyone elce its treatment first ask questions later. |
| speeding about which freaked me more than all the | | | | |