Reptile Discovery!
Campus Programming
SNAKES ALIVE! – Introduction to Venomous Snakes and Snakebite
This ninety-minute program is available only for college and university audiences. It features venomous snakes from North and South America, Africa and Asia. Information is presented about their natural history, geography and the occurrence and effects of their bites.
The program focuses on “medically important species”, those snakes that are responsible for most of the cases of snakebite such as the Copperhead and the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. It also includes highly dramatic species such as the African Gaboon Viper or the King Cobra. These snakes rarely bite people but they are the largest venomous snakes on earth. This program offers a rare glimpse at some of the world’s most dangerous creatures. Students learn about the regions of the world where snakebite is most prevalent, the effects of snake venom and medical protocols.
Bruce Shwedick has presented the “SNAKES ALIVE” program as part of the tropical medicine course for the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland every year since 1982. He has presented “SNAKES ALIVE” for the Military Tropical Medicine Course at the Naval School of Health Sciences in Bethesda every year since 1997.
“Your presentation on 16 JUL 98 entitled “Snakes Alive” was an important part of the instruction that over 68 physician students received in tropical and geographic medicine. Thank you again for your participation that contributed to the success of this course and strengthened our US military medical capabilities in tropical medicine.”
J.P. Bryan. Commander, U.S. Navy Head, Department of Tropical Medicine
“This was one of the highest rated sessions of the course”
Instructor, Naval School of Health Sciences
“Bruce Shwedick was excellent!”
Student, Military Tropical Medicine Course
© 2002, Reptile Discovery Programs