OK, Cotton bites. I'll dive in and hope I actually answer your question.
Cottonmouths are pretty unique in their bites (at least in the wild). In the wild, theya re often scavangers eating dead fish, frogs, about anything. This means that in addition to venom, there is an array of bacteria as well. Cottons are well known for causing a great deal of swelling, tissue loss, and circulatory problems. Additionally, after a cotton bite, we have to watch for gangreen, tetnis, salmonilla and several other secondary infections. The time of a bite tot he time of severe necrosis or death has way too many variables to estimate. Was it an SubCu or IV enenomation, how much venom was injected, bite site, size of the snake, physical condition of the person and a thousand other things. Necrosis CAN begin within a few minutes, a few hours, or never. Whether you lose a digit is also very much up to the doctor. Some are a little "chop happy". They tried to amputate a buddy's finger after a copper bite and he refused, now he barely has a scar. So the treatment may also lead to physical dmage such as amputation and fasciotomies which are often unnessesary. Tough question without an easy answer.
BTW, Thanks Ray
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