How Snake Venom Kills… and Saves Lives
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How Snake Venom Kills… and Saves Lives Snake venom can be dangerous for your circulatory system, nervous system or muscular system. But it can also be very useful in medicine. Are you afraid of snakes? Of the 3 000 species of snakes, only around 450 are poisonous and potentially dangerous to humans. These kill around 100 000 people a year - mostly in Asia, Africa and Latin America. But their venom has also been used in medical discoveries that can save human lives. How does venom work? Snake venom is produced in the back of the snake's head in the salivary glands. Salivary glands are the parts of the head where saliva is made. To deliver venom, snakes have hollow fangs that act like hypodermic needles. When a snake bites, muscles in its head squeeze the venom glands. This pushes the liquid through its fangs muscles in its head squeeze the venom glands. This pushes the liquid through its fangs and into the flesh of its prey. What is in snake venom? It varies ...