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CNN Sunday Morning

U.S. Troops in Kuwait Undergo Training to Deal With Snake Bites

Aired February 09, 2003 - 07:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: For U.S. troops in the deserts of Kuwait, there are more dangers than meet the eye. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta is joining us live, from Kuwait now, with that story.
Hi, Dr. Sanjay, how are you?

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good afternoon from Kuwait, Heidi. Well, we've spent a lot of time talking about nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, but there are dangers that are much more ancient and possibly just as deadly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is this thing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a viper.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She said there was two outside our door.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you going to do differently?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to -- I don't remember one thing about (UNINTELLIGIBLE), that's number one, and a -- don't be leaving food trays everywhere.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is it alive? Oh, no, it's not alive, but no, you had to shake out your shoes, you had to shake your sleeping bag, had to shake out everything prior to putting it on, because you never know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUPTA: Yes, and another thing you never know is that -- what we do know is that cutting, sucking the wounds, are actually a bad idea. Putting a tourniquet on the wound, as well as putting ice on the wound of these snake bites or scorpion bites are also a bad idea, kind of old wives tales. Treatment has really come along way since then -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Dr. Sanjay, tell me, do you have any idea how well trained the troops are before they come as to what sort of creatures they're going to come across, or are they learning it kind of as they go?

GUPTA: Right, well, I'll tell you that a lot of them were quite surprised to actually see some of these critters floating around their barracks, actually found some of those right outside some of their tents. So, well, some of them are quite surprised by it.

But the training is in place, and it's actually pretty simple. Basically remaining calm, because terror is the first response of most people after getting bit by a scorpion or a snake. Actually splinting the arm or the leg as well, to try and reduce the blood flow from that injured area to the rest of the body, and then get the person to a hospital, possibly, for administration of what is known as anti-venom. There are good anti-venoms available for snake bites and scorpion bites, and that's a something that soldiers are focusing on -- Heidi.

COLLINS: I'm sure they are. Now, besides all of the creatures that you may come across and some of them obviously pretty dangerous -- so far what are you impressions of Kuwait?

GUPTA: Well, I'll tell you, the sort of prevailing impression for me, after spending a day in the deserts, in the northern desert of Kuwait, really is the remarkable sort of training that a lot of these young soldiers are going through. And, you know, I've been focusing on the medical preparedness, and just how well equipped they are medically in the middle of a desert with sand all around is something that's really remarkable to see, actually. They can do minor surgery, they can do invasive procedures, they can airlift injured soldiers away to hospitals, all sorts of things.

All of that, again, with really very little if any resources around. So that's been one of my most, sort of remarkable experiences so far here in Kuwait, Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, and you've got a ways to go to learn even more. All right, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, we do appreciate it, and we'll be talking to you again a little bit later on in the show. Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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Aired February 9, 2003 - 07:23   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: For U.S. troops in the deserts of Kuwait, there are more dangers than meet the eye. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta is joining us live, from Kuwait now, with that story.
Hi, Dr. Sanjay, how are you?

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good afternoon from Kuwait, Heidi. Well, we've spent a lot of time talking about nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, but there are dangers that are much more ancient and possibly just as deadly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is this thing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a viper.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She said there was two outside our door.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you going to do differently?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to -- I don't remember one thing about (UNINTELLIGIBLE), that's number one, and a -- don't be leaving food trays everywhere.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is it alive? Oh, no, it's not alive, but no, you had to shake out your shoes, you had to shake your sleeping bag, had to shake out everything prior to putting it on, because you never know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUPTA: Yes, and another thing you never know is that -- what we do know is that cutting, sucking the wounds, are actually a bad idea. Putting a tourniquet on the wound, as well as putting ice on the wound of these snake bites or scorpion bites are also a bad idea, kind of old wives tales. Treatment has really come along way since then -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Dr. Sanjay, tell me, do you have any idea how well trained the troops are before they come as to what sort of creatures they're going to come across, or are they learning it kind of as they go?

GUPTA: Right, well, I'll tell you that a lot of them were quite surprised to actually see some of these critters floating around their barracks, actually found some of those right outside some of their tents. So, well, some of them are quite surprised by it.

But the training is in place, and it's actually pretty simple. Basically remaining calm, because terror is the first response of most people after getting bit by a scorpion or a snake. Actually splinting the arm or the leg as well, to try and reduce the blood flow from that injured area to the rest of the body, and then get the person to a hospital, possibly, for administration of what is known as anti-venom. There are good anti-venoms available for snake bites and scorpion bites, and that's a something that soldiers are focusing on -- Heidi.

COLLINS: I'm sure they are. Now, besides all of the creatures that you may come across and some of them obviously pretty dangerous -- so far what are you impressions of Kuwait?

GUPTA: Well, I'll tell you, the sort of prevailing impression for me, after spending a day in the deserts, in the northern desert of Kuwait, really is the remarkable sort of training that a lot of these young soldiers are going through. And, you know, I've been focusing on the medical preparedness, and just how well equipped they are medically in the middle of a desert with sand all around is something that's really remarkable to see, actually. They can do minor surgery, they can do invasive procedures, they can airlift injured soldiers away to hospitals, all sorts of things.

All of that, again, with really very little if any resources around. So that's been one of my most, sort of remarkable experiences so far here in Kuwait, Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, and you've got a ways to go to learn even more. All right, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, we do appreciate it, and we'll be talking to you again a little bit later on in the show. Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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