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CNN Live Sunday

Soldiers Face Dangers From Kuwaiti Environment

Aired February 09, 2003 - 17:36   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.


MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: There are, by now, some 51,000 U.S. troops that are in Kuwait, and more are arriving every single day. And of course, people's minds are on the potential dangers of war.
But even before war comes, if it does come, soldiers face danger on the ground from the environment of Kuwait itself.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins me now to talk more about those things on the ground.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. You know, we've been talking so much about nuclear, biological, chemical threats, but there is something that's been a lot longer, before any of those things. We're talking about scorpions, snakes and spiders. Oh, my.

Yes, they're around and they're potentially just as deadly as any of those other things.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My, God. What's that? What is this thing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a viper.

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

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is U.S. Army.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you going to do differently?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to -- I remember one thing. You've got to eat no seeds. Don't be leaving food trails everywhere, you know.

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

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: That's right, you never know.

Another thing you never know is about those old wives' tales. For instance, you should never actually suck out the venom of a snake or spider bite or a scorpion bite. You should cut the wound open.

Tourniquets probably aren't a good idea either, Marty.

SAVIDGE: I presume they have a lot of anti-venom ready to go just in case.

GUPTA: Yes. In fact, I think a lot of soldiers were surprised to see these things here in their tents, but the anti-venom is a good thing. They actually have those in the triage centers, as well.

SAVIDGE: Thank you very much.

GUPTA: Cold here in the desert, isn't it?

SAVIDGE: It is.

GUPTA: You can tell the veterans from the newcomers, for sure.

SAVIDGE: Thank you, Doctor. Always wear a coat. You should know that.

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






Aired February 9, 2003 - 17:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: There are, by now, some 51,000 U.S. troops that are in Kuwait, and more are arriving every single day. And of course, people's minds are on the potential dangers of war.
But even before war comes, if it does come, soldiers face danger on the ground from the environment of Kuwait itself.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins me now to talk more about those things on the ground.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. You know, we've been talking so much about nuclear, biological, chemical threats, but there is something that's been a lot longer, before any of those things. We're talking about scorpions, snakes and spiders. Oh, my.

Yes, they're around and they're potentially just as deadly as any of those other things.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My, God. What's that? What is this thing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a viper.

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

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is U.S. Army.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you going to do differently?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to -- I remember one thing. You've got to eat no seeds. Don't be leaving food trails everywhere, you know.

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

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: That's right, you never know.

Another thing you never know is about those old wives' tales. For instance, you should never actually suck out the venom of a snake or spider bite or a scorpion bite. You should cut the wound open.

Tourniquets probably aren't a good idea either, Marty.

SAVIDGE: I presume they have a lot of anti-venom ready to go just in case.

GUPTA: Yes. In fact, I think a lot of soldiers were surprised to see these things here in their tents, but the anti-venom is a good thing. They actually have those in the triage centers, as well.

SAVIDGE: Thank you very much.

GUPTA: Cold here in the desert, isn't it?

SAVIDGE: It is.

GUPTA: You can tell the veterans from the newcomers, for sure.

SAVIDGE: Thank you, Doctor. Always wear a coat. You should know that.

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