Woman, 87, bitten by pygmy rattler, kills snake with cane
By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune
An 87-year-old woman bitten on the right hand by a pygmy rattlesnake killed the reptile with her cane.
The woman was taken to University Community Hospital, where experts are giving her 10 vials of anti-venom.
The victim, who lives in Hunter's Green and is an Italy native, left her front door open, a hospital news release states. She thought it was a stick, and when she picked the snake up, it bit her.
"The woman had a cane in her left hand and beat the snake off, killing it," the release states.
Along with the woman, the snake was taken to the hospital at 3100 Fletcher Ave.
The victim doesn't speak English.
Her daughter and granddaughter, who were home at the time of the snakebite, will speak to the media this afternoon about the attack. The dead snake also will be brought to the news conference.
The patient was being stabilized in the emergency room and will most likely go to the intensive care unit after initial anti-venom treatments," the release said.
The woman is the sixth venomous snakebite victim treated at the hospital this year.
Most of the victims come from New Tampa.
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