Debunked Myths

This dangerous Western movie trope is both ineffective and hazardous. Snake venom injects deep into tissue, binding quickly to local cells—suction can't remove it through surface wounds. Attempting this introduces mouth bacteria, causing severe infections.

Worse, venom can enter the rescuer's bloodstream through mouth cuts or sores, creating a double emergency. Other harmful outdated methods include tourniquets (concentrating venom, risking limb loss) and cutting wounds (increasing damage and infection).

The only correct response: keep the victim calm and still to slow venom spread, remove constrictive items, position the bite below heart level if possible, and seek immediate medical attention. This myth's persistence shows how dramatic fiction can override lifesaving knowledge for generations, proving that sometimes what looks heroic in movies is dangerous in reality.