FUNDING FORTHE DESERT SPEAKS
HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY ASARCO INC.

AN INTEGRATED PRODUCER OF
NON-FERROUS METALS AND

OTHER INDUSTRIAL MINERALS
AND PRODUCTS. ASARCO INC.

ADDING VALUE TO
NATURE'S RESOURCES.

AND HEADQUARTERED
IN TUCSON, ARIZONA,

INTERGROUP HEALTHCARE
CORPORATION IS A MANAGED

HEALTHCARE COMPANY SERVING MORE
THAN A QUARTER MILLION MEMBERS.

AND BY, THE ARIZONA GAME
AND FISH HERITAGE FUND,

ARIZONA'S LOTTERY DOLLARS
WORKING FOR WILDLIFE.

[MUSIC AND NATURE SOUNDS]

WHEN IT COMES TO SURVIVAL
GEAR YOU'D HAVE TO SAY

NATURE OUTFITS EVERY
LIVING THING PRETTY WELL.

BUT THE SURVIVAL KIT IS
DIFFERENT IN EVERY CASE,

FOR SOME IT'S SIMPLE
SIZE AND STRENGTH,

FOR OTHERS THE KIT MIGHT
INCLUDE A HARD

SHELL OR SHARP STUFF,
THORNS AND TEETH. AND THEN

THERE'S A LARGE BUNCH THAT GET
SPECIAL CHEMICAL WEAPONS.

THESE LIVING THINGS
WOULD TEND TO BE PRETTY

VULNERABLE WITHOUT THEIR
POISONS AND TOXINS.

THEY'RE MOSTLY PLANTS
AND SMALLER CREATURES.

AND THE SONORAN DESERT'S
GOT A GOOD MEASURE OF

'EM.I SUPPOSE THE DESERT'S
BEST-KNOWN POISON IS

LOCATED IN THE BUSINESS
END OF A RATTLESNAKE.

RATTLERS AREN'T
THE ONLY VENOMOUS

REPTILES HERE, THERE ARE
OTHERS.

BUT THEY DO HAVE A
WAY OF COMMANDING OUR

ATTENTION.VERTEBRATE
VENOMS FALL INTO TWO

BROAD, GENERALIZED
CATEGORIES.

SOME ARE NEUROTOXINS, THAT
IS THEY HAVE AN EFFECT IN

SOME WAY ON THE
NERVOUS SYSTEM,

AND OTHERS ARE HEMOTOXINS,
WHICH AFFECT THE

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
IN SOME MANNER.

NEUROTOXINS ARE BEST
REPRESENTED BY THE BLACK

WIDOW SPIDER, THE BARK
SCORPION, AND THE CORAL SNAKE.

HEMOTOXINS ARE PROBABLY BEST
REPRESENTED

BY THE RATTLESNAKES IN
GENERAL.

AT LEAST SOME POPULATIONS
OF THE MOJAVE AND ROCK

RATTLESNAKES ALSO POSSESS
A POTENT NEUROTOXIN.

THE VENOMS ARE
CHARACTERISTICALLY

DELIVERED BY
STINGING OR BITING.

AND THIS HELPS DISTINGUISH
THEM FROM OTHER TOXINS OR

POISONS, WHICH ARE
INGESTED BY PREDATORS,

OFTEN PRODUCING AN
EMETIC REACTION;

THEY'RE FOUL TASTING, OFTEN
CAUSING NAUSEA AND VOMITING,

AND GENERALLY MAKE THAT ANIMAL
DISTASTEFUL TO THE PREDATOR.

NOW IN THE CASE OF TRUE VENOMS,
THE INJECTION MECHANISM

IS OFTEN THROUGH MEANS OF
SPECIALIZED FANGS OR

STINGING STRUCTURES, AS IN THE
CASE OF SCORPIONS.

THE VENOM APPARATUS OF THE
RATTLESNAKE, FOR EXAMPLE,

IS VERY MUCH LIKE THAT OF
THE MEDICAL HYPODERMIC SYRINGE.

THE VENOM GLAND, WHICH IS
LOCATED BEHIND THE EYE IN

THE TEMPORAL REGION OF THE
HEAD IN THE RATTLESNAKE,

IS CONNECTED BY A
DUCT TO A HOLLOW,

TUBULAR FANG MOUNTED ON A
MOVEABLE BONE IN THE FRONT

OF THE FACE.RATTLESNAKES
OCCUPY VIRTUALLY EVERY

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
AND TYPICALLY ARE

SIT-AND-WAIT, OR
AMBUSH PREDATORS.

THEY COME OUT, DETECT THE
NATURAL TRAILS OR PATTERNS

OF ACTIVITY BY THEIR
PREY BY MEANS OF SCENT,

AND THEN ESTABLISH AN
AMBUSH STATION NEAR THAT

AREA WAITING FOR THE
PREY TO COME ALONG.

AND OF COURSE WHEN
IT DOES, THEY DETECT

IT BY THEIR SENSE OF SMELL,
BY VISION, OR BY MEANS

OF INFRARED RECEPTION USING THE
HEAT-DETECTING PITS TO DIRECT

THEIR STRIKE VERY ACCURATELY TO
ENVENOMATE THE PREY.

WHEN RATTLESNAKES
DELIVER THE VENOM,

THEY TYPICALLY WITHDRAW
RATHER THAN HOLDING ONTO

THE PREY, ALLOWING
THE PREY TO RETREAT,

USUALLY A SHORT DISTANCE
BEFORE IT IS

IMMOBILIZED BY THE LETHAL
COMPONENTS OF THE VENOM.

AT THIS POINT, THE SNAKE
EFFECTIVELY SWITCHES OFF

ITS OCULAR VISION AND
RESORTS ENTIRELY TO

OLFACTION OR SCENT
TRACKING COMBINED WITH THE

INFRARED RECEPTION OF THE
TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE

PIT. NOW IN THE
CASE OF THE

CORAL SNAKE, THE FANGS
ARE MUCH SHORTER,

THEY ARE LOCATED IN THE
FRONT OF THE UPPER JAW.

BUT THEY ARE SO SHORT
AS TO NOT REQUIRE THIS

MOBILITY, WHICH WE SEE
IN THE VIPER FANGS.

AND THE VENOM IS VERY
POTENT AND PRIMARILY

AFFECTING THE NERVOUS
SYSTEM; IT'S A NEUROTOXIN.

THE ARIZONA CORAL SNAKE
IS A SPECIALIZED FEEDER,

PREYING ALMOST ENTIRELY ON THE
HARMLESS BURROWING BLIND SNAKES.

THEY ALSO EAT OTHER
SMALL SNAKES, AND THESE

SEEM TO BE PARTICULARLY
SENSITIVE TO THEIR VENOM.

THERE ARE NO RECORDED
HUMAN DEATHS ATTRIBUTED TO

THE CORAL SNAKE IN
ARIZONA. IN ADDITION TO THE

ELEVEN SPECIES OF
RATTLESNAKES AND ONE

SPECIES OF CORAL SNAKE
FOUND IN ARIZONA, THERE ARE

AT LEAST TEN SPECIES OF MILDLY
VENOMOUS REAR-FANGED SNAKES.

NOW NONE OF THESE ARE
CONSIDERED TO BE DANGEROUS

TO HUMANS, BUT THEY ALL
HAVE MILD TOXINS PRODUCED

BY A SPECIALIZED SALIVARY
GLAND CALLED THE

DUVERNOY'S GLAND, WHICH
EMPTIES AT THE BASE OF

GENERALLY ELONGATED AND
OFTEN GROOVED TEETH

IN THE REAR OF THE UPPER JAW.

THE GILA MONSTER IS
PARTICULARLY INTERESTING

AMONG VENOMOUS ANIMALS
IN THAT IT HAS EVOLVED A

VENOM WHICH IS CONSIDERED TO BE
ENTIRELY DEFENSIVE IN FUNCTION.

A GILA MONSTER'S FEED
PRIMARILY ON THE EGGS AND

NESTLING OF BIRDS
AND SMALL MAMMALS,

WHICH THEY GENERALLY FIND
IN AN ENCLOSED SPACE IN A

HELPLESS CONDITION WHERE
VENOM WOULD HAVE NO

APPRECIABLE BENEFIT AS A
FOOD-GETTING MECHANISM.

THE VENOM GLANDS OF THE
GILA MONSTER ARE LOCATED

IN THE LOWER JAW
RATHER THAN IN

THE TEMPORAL REGION AS
IN VENOMOUS SNAKES,

AND COMMUNICATE TO
DEEPLY-GROOVED TEETH.

AND THE GROOVES ACTUALLY
CONTAIN THE TOXIC SALIVA

OR VENOM AT THE TIME
THE BITE OCCURS.

THE GILA MONSTER IS ONE OF
ONLY TWO KNOWN SPECIES OF

VENOMOUS LIZARDS LIVING
IN THE WORLD TODAY.

AT ONE TIME THEY WERE MUCH MORE
WIDESPREAD THAN THEY ARE NOW.

BUT THE GILA MONSTER
AND ITS CLOSE RELATIVE,

THE MEXICAN BEADED LIZARD,
PRODUCE VENOMS WHICH ARE

VERY SIMILAR AND USE THEM
IN VERY SIMILAR WAYS.IT IS

OFTEN DIFFICULT FOR
PEOPLE TO REALIZE AN

INHERENT VALUE IN
ANIMALS WHICH CAN

BITE, STING, OR OTHERWISE
CAUSE PAIN.

THESE ANIMALS ARE PRODUCTS
OF PERIODS OF GREAT

EVOLUTIONARY
SOPHISTICATION AND IN MANY

CASES ACTUALLY BENEFIT
HUMAN KIND LIVING IN CLOSE

PROXIMITY TO THEM BY
CONTROLLING OTHER ANIMALS

WHICH ACTUALLY POSE A
GREATER THREAT TO HUMAN WELFARE.

THE RATTLES ON A RATTLESNAKE
ARE THERE TO SOUND A WARNING.

MOST OF THE DESERT'S TOXIC
PLANTS GIVE A WARNING, TOO.

NOT WITH A SOUND
BUT WITH A TASTE.

A CRITTER HAS TO
BE AWFULLY HUNGRY,

OR KNOT HEADED, TO MAKE A
WHOLE MEAL OUT OF ANY OF

THESE PLANTS AFTER THEY'VE
BEEN GIVEN SUCH A HELPFUL

HINT.MOST OF THE
PLANTS IN THE SONORAN

DESERT ARE TOXIC, AT
LEAST MILDLY TO HUMANS.

SO THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER
JUST GRAB A HANDFUL OF

SOME PLANT THAT YOU DON'T
KNOW VERY WELL AND EAT IT,

BECAUSE IT'LL PROBABLY
MAKE YOU SICK.

THERE'S AN UNDERLYING
CAUSE FOR THIS TOXICITY,

AND THAT IS THAT PLANTS
ARE NEAR THE

FOUNDATION OF THE FOOD
CHAIN FOR THIS PLANET.

ALL ANIMALS DEPEND DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY ON PLANTS AS FOOD.

AND MOST PLANTS
HAVE EVOLVED TOXINS

TO KEEP ANIMALS
FROM EATING THEM.

AND IT'S A CONSTANT
EVOLUTIONARY CONTEST.

SOME ANIMALS HAVE ADAPTED
TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE

TOXINS OF CERTAIN PLANTS,
SO THAT ALMOST ANY PLANT

CAN BE EATEN
BY SOME ANIMAL.

BUT ANY GIVEN PLANT
GENERALLY CANNOT BE EATEN

BY A WIDE VARIETY
OF ANIMALS,

BECAUSE IT'S TOXIC
TO MOST OF THEM.

THESE TOXINS ARE THERE
FOR DEFENSIVE IN PURPOSE.

THERE'S NO PLANT
THAT WE KNOW OF

THAT USES TOXINS IN
AN OFFENSIVE WAY.

OF THE RANGE OF TOXIC
PLANTS THAT YOU WOULD

ENCOUNTER IN ANY AREA,
INCLUDING THE SONORAN

DESERT, MOST OF THEM WOULD
NOT KILL YOU IF YOU ATE THEM.

THE COMMONEST SYMPTOMS FOR
EATING AN UNKNOWN PLANT

IS VOMITING AND
DIARRHEA--GASTRIC UPSET.

AND THEY RANGE FROM
THERE ON UP TO

PLANTS THAT EVEN A
TASTE IS DEADLY.

BUT THOSE ARE
FORTUNATELY VERY FEW,

AND ANYBODY WHO LIVES IN
A GIVEN AREA CAN EASILY

LEARN THOSE
PARTICULAR PLANTS.

ONE OF THE LESS
TOXIC PLANTS,

WHICH IS IN THE MAJORITY
THAT YOU WOULD FIND HERE,

WOULD BE BIRD OF PARADISE,
THE CAESALPINIUS SPECIES.

THE SEEDS OF THIS PLANT,
WHEN THEY'RE MATURE,

ARE TOXIC IN THAT THEY
CAUSE SEVER DIARRHEA AND

VOMITING, BUT THERE'S
NO LASTING EFFECT.

RECOVERY IS ALMOST
ALWAYS COMPLETE.

SOME OF THE MORE TOXIC
PLANTS WOULD BE THINGS

LIKE OUR NATIVE
TOBACCO SPECIES.

THE WILD SPECIES HAVE EVEN
MORE OF THE SAME COMPOUNDS

THAT MAKE CIGARETTES
POISONOUS.

TO THE EXTENT THAT MOST OF
THE LOCAL TOBACCO SPECIES,

INCLUDING THE INTRODUCED
TREE TOBACCO FROM SOUTH

AMERICA, HAVE A VERY HIGH
MORTALITY RATE TO PEOPLE

WHO INGEST ANY PART OF IT
OR SMOKE ANY PART OF THIS

PLANT.DATURA, ALSO
CALLED ANGEL'S TRUMPET,

IS ANOTHER VERY COMMON
PLANT IN THIS REGION,

WHICH IS EXTREMELY TOXIC.

ALL PARTS OF THIS
PLANT ARE POISONOUS,

BUT ESPECIALLY THE SEEDS,
WHICH HAVE BEEN USED,

AND STILL ARE
OCCASIONALLY USED,

IN SHAMAN CEREMONIES.IN
THE TROPICAL RIPARIAN

AREAS THAT ARE ADJACENT
TO THE SONORAN DESERT,

THERE'S A WELL-KNOWN
PLANT THAT'S ALSO

USED IN GARDENS CALLED
SPIDER LILY.

IT'S BEEN KNOWN FOR A LONG
TIME THAT THIS PLANT IS

QUITE TOXIC, BUT VERY
RECENTLY IT'S BEEN

DISCOVERED THAT THIS
TOXIN IS A VERY POWERFUL

ANTI-TUMOR AGENT AND IS
NOW BEING RESEARCHED

VIGOROUSLY AT ARIZONA
STATE UNIVERSITY

FOR ITS ANTI-CANCER
PROPERTIES.

THE GROUNDSELS ARE
IN THE GENUS SENECIO.

THERE'S OVER A THOUSAND
SPECIES WORLDWIDE,

AND MOST OF THEM ARE
EXTREMELY TOXIC.

WE HAVE A VERY COMMON
ONE HERE IN OUR RIPARIAN AREAS.

TWO OR THREE LEAVES IS PROBABLY
ENOUGH TO KILL A PERSON.

IT HAS A VERY POWERFUL
TOXIN IN IT THAT

DESTROYS THE LIVER AND,
AS YOU KNOW,

YOU CAN'T LIVE
WITHOUT YOUR LIVER.

SO IT'S A VERY, VERY
DANGEROUS PLANT.SIMILARLY,

DELPHINIUM IS ANOTHER
COMMON GARDEN PLANT,

AND WE HAVE WILD SPECIES
HERE IN THE DESERT,

IS ANOTHER VERY TOXIC AND
PROBABLY DEADLY PLANT.

BUT THERE ARE NO KNOWN
CASES OF HUMAN POISONING,

AND THAT ILLUSTRATES ONE
OF THE SAFETY FACTORS AS

FAR AS HUMANS ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT TOXIC

PLANTS; MOST OF THEM TASTE
SO BAD THAT YOU WOULD

NEVER EAT ONE BECAUSE
YOU WOULD SPIT IT OUT

IMMEDIATELY. EVOLUTIONARILY
AGAIN, THAT'S

AN ADVANTAGE
BECAUSE THERE'S NO POINT IN

A TOXIN IN A PLANT THAT
AN ANIMAL WOULD EAT AND

THEN DIE TWO OR THREE DAYS
LATER WITHOUT BEING ABLE

TO, OR EVEN GET SICK TWO
OR THREE DAYS LATER,

AND NOT MAKE THE
CONNECTION WITH THE PLANT.

THE PLANT MUST GIVE THE
ANIMAL THE MESSAGE,

"THIS IS NOT GOOD TO EAT."

SO FIRST IT TASTES BAD, AND
IF THEY PERSIST,

IT MAKES THEM SICK.

AND THAT'S THE EVOLUTIONARY
ADVANTAGE OF BEING TOXIC.

THERE ARE ALSO A LARGE
NUMBER OF PLANTS THAT ARE

POISONOUS NOT JUST THROUGH
INGESTION,

BUT BY MERE SKIN CONTACT.

THE FAMOUS ONE, OF COURSE,
IS POISON IVY BECAUSE

MANY, MANY PEOPLE
ARE SENSITIVE TO IT,

ALTHOUGH SOME SEEM TO BE IMMUNE
OR AT LEAST RESISTANT TO IT.

TWO COMMON LOCAL PLANTS
THAT WILL CAUSE CONTACT

RASHES IN SOME PEOPLE ARE
RAGWEEDS AND FLEABANES.

AND EVERYBODY OF COURSE
KNOWS OLEANDERS,

TOXIC TO BE EATEN, BUT IT
ALSO CAN CAUSE A RASH WHEN

YOU GET THE JUICE ON YOU, AS
WHEN YOU'RE PRUNING THE PLANT.

SO IT'S AN ALL-AROUND
THING TO BE AVOIDED.

THERE ARE SOME VERY INTERESTING
PLANTS SUCH AS NETTLES

AND MALA MUJERTHAT HAVE REALLY
UNUSUAL DEFENSIVE MECHANISMS.

BOTH OF THESE PLANTS HAVE
VERY SHARP, POINTED,

HOLLOW HAIRS THAT
CONTAIN POISONS.

IN THE CASE OFMALA MUJER,
IT HAS TWO TOXINS.

ONE OF THE TOXINS
IS A HISTAMINE,

WHICH CAUSES INFLAMMATION,
IT'S WHAT YOU TAKE

ANTIHISTAMINES FOR WHEN
YOU GET HAY FEVER.

AND THE OTHER TOXIN
IS A NEUROTRANSMITTER,

WHICH CAUSES INSTANT PAIN
WHEN IT'S INJECTED INTO

THE SKIN, WHICH IS EXACTLY
WHAT THE PLANT DOES ON CONTACT.

THE HAIRS PENETRATE THE
SKIN AND A TIP BREAKS OFF,

AND THE PRESSURE PUSHING
AGAINST THE LEAF ACTUALLY

INJECTS JUST LIKE A
HYPODERMIC NEEDLE,

RIGHT INTO YOUR PAIN-SENSITIVE
NERVES UNDER YOUR SKIN.

IT'S A VERY EFFECTIVE
MECHANISM FOR NOT GETTING EATEN.

ANOTHER COMMON
ANTI-HERBIVORE STRATEGY IS

TO HAVE SPINES, SUCH AS
CACTI AND AGAVES USUALLY HAVE.

BUT THIS IS OFTEN A
DEFENSE AGAINST THE LARGER

ANIMALS AND THAT MEANS
THAT JUST BECAUSE IT'S

SPINY, DOESN'T MEAN IT
MIGHT NOT ALSO BE TOXIC.

MANY CACTI ARE TOXIC, AND
MOST AGAVES ARE EXTREMELY TOXIC.

SO, EVEN IF YOU GET PAST
THE SPINES AND WERE

SOMEHOW TO INGEST
RAW AGAVE FLESH,

IT WOULD DESTROY YOUR
INTESTINES, WHICH IS NOT GOOD.

SO, MANY PLANTS HAVE MORE
THAN ONE DEFENSE.MAYBE WE

CAN RELATE TO THESE TOXINS
BETTER IN AN AGE WHERE

WE'RE GETTING MORE CONCERNED
ABOUT FEELING DEFENSELESS.

SOME WOMEN THESE DAYS CARRY
TOXIC SPRAYS IN THEIR PURSES.

WELL, OUT HERE BENEATH
THE WIDE-OPEN SKY,

WHERE THERE'S CONSIDERABLY
MORE BARE DIRT BETWEEN

EACH LIVING THING, THE
SECRET TO LIVING LONG

ENOUGH TO REPRODUCE MIGHT
JUST BE TO PACK A WALLOP

OR TO TASTE LOUSY.MANY OF
THE ANIMALS THAT CARRY

CHEMICAL WEAPONS ARE SMALL
ENOUGH THAT THEY OFTEN GO

UNNOTICED IF YOU'RE
NOT ON THE LOOKOUT.

AND THE SMALLEST OF ALL
ARE THE ARTHROPODS.

ARTHROPODS ACCOUNT FOR
ABOUT SEVENTY-FIVE

PERCENT OF THE WHOLE
ANIMAL KINGDOM.

ALL OF THEM HAVE AN OUTER
SHELL HOLDING EVERYTHING

TOGETHER, INSTEAD
OF BONES INSIDE.

THE TERRESTRIAL ARTHROPODS
WHO COME PACKING

CHEMICALS FALL INTO TWO
FURTHER GROUPS.

ONE OF THESE HAS A PAIR
OF APPENDAGES CALLED

CHELICERAE, NEAR THE HEAD.

SPIDERS AND SCORPIONS AND
TICKS ALL HAVE CHELICERAE.

ANOTHER GROUP OF
ARTHROPODS HAS MANDIBLES,

LIKE JAWS FOR GRIPPING.

ANDIN THIS CATEGORY
ARE INSECTS AND THE

MANY-LEGGED CREATURES
LIKE CENTIPEDES.VENOMOUS

INSECTS AND ARTHROPODS
GENERALLY ARE

OFFENSIVE IN USING THEIR VENOM.

IT'S A WAY OF
GAINING PREY ITEMS.

THE USE OF IT AS A DEFENSE
IS MORE A SECONDARY ADAPTATION.

DIFFERENT STINGERS HAVE
DIFFERENT EVOLUTION,

OF COURSE, IN THE INSECTS.

AND THE ONLY STINGING
INSECTS THAT WE HAVE ARE

WASPS AND BEES AND ANTS.

THEY ARE ALL FEMALE
THAT CAN STING.

AND THE OVIPOSITOR,
THE EGG LAYING DEVISE,

HAS BEEN MODIFIED INTO
THIS SINGER WITH AN

ASSOCIATED VENOM
GLAND.OTHER RELATIVES IN

THE ARTHROPOD WORLD,
SUCH AS SCORPIONS,

BOTH MALE AND
FEMALE, CAN STING;

THERE IS NO SEX
DISCRIMINATION,

I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.

IN THE SPIDERS, BOTH MALE
AND FEMALE HAVE VENOM.

IT'S JUST THAT WITH MALES,
SPIDERS ARE MOSTLY SMALLER

AND PROBABLY ARE NOT
GOING TO HAVE MUCH OF AN

INFLUENCE AS FAR
AS THEIR VENOMS.

WASPS AND ANTS ARE
CERTAINLY USING THEIR

STINGING DEVICE AS AN OFFENSIVE
DEVICE, INSTEAD OF DEFENSE.

WITH SCORPIONS, BOTH MALE
AND FEMALE ARE OUT GETTING

PREY ITEMS AND THEY WILL
CAPTURE THE PREY AND THEN

ENVENOMATE THEM
TO PARALYZE THEM.

THE CENTIPEDE IS PROBABLY
OFF ON ITS OWN AS FAR AS

EVOLVING A
STINGING DEVICE.

THEY DON'T HAVE
MOUTHPARTS WITH VENOM,

BUT THEY HAVE EVOLVED THIS
FIRST PAIR OF VERY THICK,

SHARP LEGS, ENVENOMATE
THEM WITH THE VENOM AND

THEN THEY CAN USE ALL THE
REST OF THEIR MOUTHPARTS

TO CHEW AND CONSUME
THE PREY ITEM.

ALL SPIDERS REALLY HAVE A VENOM;
THE BLACK WIDOW, THE ARIZONA

BROWN SPIDER, IS PROBABLY
THE TWO MOST PROMINENT ONES.

THEY HAVE DIFFERENT
TYPES OF VENOM.

THE BLACK WIDOW HAS A
NEUROTOXIN VENOM WHICH

WILL AFFECT THE NERVOUS
SYSTEM, OF COURSE.

THE BROWN SPIDER, RELATIVE
OF THE BROWN RECLUSE,

WHICH IS AN INTRODUCED
SPIDER IN THE MIDWEST,

HAS A VENOM THAT
IS CALLED NECROTIC.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S THE
ENZYMES OF THE SPIDER THAT

CAUSE OUR TISSUE TO
ACTUALLY DECAY AND TO

SLOUGH OFF, LEAVING AN
OPEN WOUND.THE KISSING BUG

NORMALLY IS ASSOCIATED WITH
PACKRATS, LIVING

WITHIN THE PACKRAT NEST, AND
FEEDING ON JUVENILES.

THE KISSING BUG CERTAINLY
IS TAKING PROTEINS FROM

ITS SYSTEM, FROM ITS
SALIVARY GLANDS,

AND INJECTING THEM INTO
THE BODY OF THE VICTIM.

THIS VENOM IS ACTING ON
THE BLOOD SYSTEM SO THAT

NOW THE KISSING BUG CAN
SUCK UP THE JUICES WITHOUT

GETTING THEM STUCK IN ITS SODA
STRAW DEVICE, IF YOU WILL.

WASPS ARE OFFENSIVE
INSECTS THAT ARE NEST

BUILDERS, AND THEY HAVE
TO SUPPLY FOOD TO THEIR

YOUNG, SO THEY WILL GO OUT
AND HUNT OTHER TYPES OF INSECTS.

HONEYBEES, ON
THE OTHER HAND, HAVE

GONE TOTALLY AWAY FROM
THE USE OF INSECTS AS

FOOD. THEY'RE STRICTLY NECTAR
AND POLLEN GATHERERS.

THEY HAVE EVOLVED A
STINGER THAT IS BARBED AND

IS NOW STRICTLY
A DEFENSIVE

MECHANISM.TARANTULAS
OVERWHELM THEIR PREY;

THEY DON'T NEED
A LOT OF VENOM.

BUT THEY DON'T GO AFTER
THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO

BE TOO BIG FOR THEM,
OR ELSE THEY'LL LOSE.

THE SAME THING WITH
ANY OF THESE CREATURES;

THEY DON'T HAVE TO INJECT
EVERY TIME THEY STING.

SPIDERS, WHEN THEY BITE,
DON'T ALWAYS ENVENOMATE,

JUST LIKE RATTLESNAKES
DON'T ALWAYS ENVENOMATE.

SO, THEY'RE VERY CAUTIOUS,
AND THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE

THAT THEY SCORE A GOOD
PIECE OF FOOD BEFORE THEY

ARE GOING TO USE
UP THIS PRECIOUS

LIVE-GIVING THING
THAT WE CALL VENOM.

OUT OF ALL THE INSECTS
THAT ARE OUT THERE IN THE

WORLD, PROBABLY ONE
PERCENT OR LESS HAVE THIS

CAPABILITY.IF YOU
WANT TO STAY HEALTHY,

IT'S CERTAINLY GOOD TO
KNOW WHERE THE DESERT'S

POISONS AND TOXINS ARE
LOCATED AND HOW

TO BEHAVE WHEN YOU COME NEAR.

BUT THAT'S THE
PREVENTATIVE SIDE ONLY.

AND MISTAKES
ARE INEVITABLE.

IT'S HEALTHY TO ALSO KNOW
A LITTLE FIRST AID FOR

WHEN THE DESERT TAKES YOU
BY SURPRISE.THE SYMPTOMS

OF SOMETHING LIKE A BLACK
WIDOW BITE WOULD BE

INITIALLY A BURNING,
STINGING-TYPE

PAIN RIGHT AT THE
SITE OF THE STING.

AND THEN THAT'S FOLLOWED BY
DEEP, MUSCLE ACHE OR CRAMPING.

AND THAT CRAMPING CAN
SPREAD THROUGH THE BODY TO

INVOLVE AREAS LIKE THE
SHOULDERS OR THE ABDOMINAL

MUSCLES, FEELING A LOT
LIKE A FLU OR FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS.

SYMPTOMS OF SOMETHING LIKE
A SCORPION STING WOULD

CAUSE A BURNING,
STINGING-TYPE PAIN THAT'S

FOLLOWED BY NUMBNESS
AND TINGLING,

USUALLY TRAVELING FROM THE
SITE OF THE STING IN A

DIRECTION TOWARD
THE HEART.

QUITE OFTEN AN ADULT
PATIENT WILL HAVE NUMBNESS

AND TINGLING GOING FROM
THE SITE OF THE STING

THROUGH AN ENTIRE LIMB.

FOLLOWING A SNAKEBITE, ONE
OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT A

PATIENT MIGHT
EXPERIENCE IS SWELLING.

AND THIS CAN BEGIN AS
EARLY AS FIFTEEN MINUTES

AFTER THE BITE ITSELF.

IF IT WAS LEFT UNTREATED,
A SNAKE BITE WILL GO ON TO

PROGRESS TO HAVE
BLEEDING-TYPE DISORDERS

INSIDE THE PATIENT,
SEVERE TISSUE LOSS,

TISSUE DEATH AT THE SITE,
VERY EXTENSIVE SWELLING,

QUITE OFTEN EVEN SOME
DISFIGUREMENT OR LOSS OF

FUNCTION IN THE LONG RUN.

MOST HEALTHY ADULTS CAN
MANAGE INSECT STINGS,

EVEN BLACK WIDOW AND
SCORPION STINGS,

AT HOME WITH SOME BASIC
FIRST AID:

KEEPING THE SITE REAL CLEAN,
COOL COMPRESSES,

TRYING TO KEEP IT ELEVATED
TO ABOUT HEART LEVEL,

AN ASPIRIN OR TYLENOL IF
THEY NORMALLY TAKE THOSE

WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IN
THIS KIND OF A SITUATION.

A SNAKEBITE IS NOT SOMETHING
THAT ANYONE CAN MANAGE AT HOME.

THE DEFINITIVE CARE FOR A
SNAKEBITE OR GILA MONSTER

BITE HAS TO BE GIVEN
IN AN EMERGENCY ROOM,

AND THOSE PATIENTS NEED TO
GET INTO AN EMERGENCY

ROOM AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE.THERE IS A LOT OF

MISCONCEPTION ABOUT HOW
DEADLY BITES AND STINGS ARE.

IN NORTH AMERICA, DEATH IS
EXTREMELY RARE FROM ANY

TYPE OF BITE OR STING.

IT IS MORE LIKELY TO
BE THE RESULT OF AN

ALLERGIC-TYPE REACTION
THAN IT IS FROM A DIRECT

EFFECT OF THE VENOM.

IN FACT IN THE UNITED
STATES WE EXPECT TWELVE TO

FIFTEEN DEATHS FROM
RATTLESNAKE BITES EACH YEAR.

AND FROM SCORPION STINGS,
WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY DEATHS

IN ABOUT THIRTY YEARS.

BLACK WIDOW DEATHS,
AGAIN, EXTREMELY RARE.

BUT AN ALLERGIC-TYPE
REACTION CAN BE A

LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION,
NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED EARLY,

AND TREATED AS A
LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCY.

SNAKE VENOM DELIVERED
BY THE SNAKE IS

TO BE AVOIDED, NO
QUESTION ABOUT IT.

BUT VENOMS ADMINISTERED BY
YOUR DOCTOR AFTER THEY'VE

BEEN BROKEN DOWN INTO
THEIR COMPONENTS,

OR FRACTIONS, THOSE
CAN BE A BLESSING.

THERE ARE PRESENTLY ABOUT
FIFTY PRACTICAL USES FOR

TOXINS AND VENOMS.YES,
THERE ARE A GREAT MANY

MEDICATIONS AND DRUGS THAT
ARE BEING DEVELOPED AT THE

PRESENT TIME FOR USE IN HUMANS
FOR VARIOUS DISEASE STATES.

IT'S BEEN TRIED IN
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND

MYASTHENIA GRAVIS, CERTAIN
FRACTIONS AND SO FORTH,

AS WELL AS POLIO BEFORE
A VACCINE CAME OUT.

AND IT'S BEEN TRIED IN
ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM

WITH SOME SUCCESS,
PARTICULARLY NOT SNAKE

VENOMS, BUT BEE VENOMS.A
DIAGNOSTIC TEST,

IT IS USED IN A GREAT
MANY DIAGNOSTIC TESTS:

TUBERCULOSIS, SYPHILIS,
CANCER, PREGNANCY,

BLEEDING TIME, CLOTTING
TIME, PROTHROMBINTIME,

PLATELET DISEASES,
THROMBOCYTOPENIA AND SO FORTH.

PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT IS A COMPONENT

OF A VENOM, OF A SNAKE
VENOM, ACTUALLY,

THAT DISSOLVES OR BREAKS DOWN
BLOOD CLOTS IN THE BLOOD STREAM.

AND I THINK PROBABLY AT
THE PRESENT TIME THIS IS

ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT
COMPONENTS OR FRACTIONS OF

VENOMS THAT VARIOUS
INVESTIGATORS ARE WORKING ON.

WELL, THERE'S A GREAT
FUTURE BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY

BEGINNING TO EXPLORE,
TO TOUCH THESE.

SAY YOU HAVE THREE HUNDRED
AND SEVENTY-FIVEVENOMOUS

SNAKES AND EACH ONE HAS
ONE HUNDRED DIFFERENT

COMPONENTS, YOU'RE DEALING
WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF

POTENTIALLY USEFUL
FRACTIONS TO STUDY.

AND REALLY
WE'RE, AS I SAY,

WE'RE ONLY BEGINNING
TO LOOK AT THESE,

AND WE'RE ALREADY COMING
UP WITH A GREAT MANY NEW

DRUGS. UNFORTUNATELY,
CHEMICAL HAZARDS IN THE

DESERT AREN'T LABELED WITH
A SKULL AND CROSSBONES.

BUT FOR EONS PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN PASSING DOWN THE

RESULTS OF THEIR FAILED
EXPERIMENTS WITH POISONOUS

THINGS, FOR SO LONG IN
FACT THAT THE MERE IMAGE

OF A SERPENT SETS OFF
AN ALARM DEEP IN OUR

SOULS.NO, YOU CAN'T KNOW
EVERY TOXIN IN THE DESERT

BUT IT WORKS JUST TO
MOVE ALONG RESPECTFULLY.

WATCH WHERE YOU GET A
GRIP AND WHERE YOU STEP.

AND OF COURSE, DO KNOW YOUR
BERRIES BEFORE YOU MAKE A PIE.

[MUSIC]

FUNDING FOR THE DESERT SPEAKS
HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY ASARCO INC.

AN INTEGRATED PRODUCER OF
NON-FERROUS METALS AND

OTHER INDUSTRIAL MINERALS
AND PRODUCTS.

ASARCO INC. ADDING VALUE TO
NATURE'S RESOURCES.

AND HEADQUARTERED
IN TUCSON, ARIZONA,

INTERGROUP HEALTHCARE
CORPORATION IS A MANAGED

HEALTHCARE COMPANY SERVING MORE
THAN A QUARTER MILLION MEMBERS.

AND BY, THE ARIZONA GAME
AND FISH HERITAGE FUND,

ARIZONA'S LOTTERY DOLLARS
WORKING FOR WILDLIFE.