Healthcare

What is the world’s most dangerous venomous snake?

If the toxicity at the venom was the only criterion, there is little doubt that the sea snake would have pride of place. But other factors have to be taken into account in conjunction with toxicity the snake’s efficiency in injecting venom, its willingness to attack and its accessibility to man, for example. Thus sea snakes, which are dangerous only to barefooted fishermen, come far down the danger scale — if there is such a thing. Probably the most dangerous snake is the cobra, which is highly venomous, aggressive and widespread across Africa and Asia. Read the rest of this entry »

The forearm is placed halfway between flexion and extension and slightly pronated (the biceps being also a supinator) and the thumb or finger on the tendon. A blow on the digit results in flexion of the forearm. The reflex arc is by way of the musculocutaneous nerve and the fifth and sixth cervical segments. The triceps reflex. The forearm is held by the examiner, partly flexed at the elbow and the tendon struck just above the olecranon process. Extension’s of the forearm results. Reflex arc: radial nerve and the sixth and seventh cervical segments. Read the rest of this entry »

The Babinski toe sign is found in lesion of the pyramidal tract (although dorsiflextion of the big toe may occur spontaneously in extra-pyramidal disease) and is obtained by scratching with a pin upward and inward the outer side of the sole of the foot. If positive, there is fanning plantar flexion of the lesser toes and dorsiflexion (extension) of the big toe. Often in severe lesions there is simultaneous dorsiflexion at the ankle, flexion at the knee and hip, and contraction of the tensor fasciae femoris. Read the rest of this entry »

The grasp reflex is significant of frontal lobe lesions. It is regarded as a release phenomenon and occurs normally in infants below one year of age. The grasp reflex probably is the result of tonic innervation’s, due to stretch, hence is proprioceptive in nature. Fulton has shown that the grasp reflex is an integral part of the body righting reflex mechanism and varies with the position of the body in space parallel with the righting reflexes. Read the rest of this entry »