Several years ago, a medical missionary wrote to the British medical journal Lancet that an electric shock appeared to have been a successful treatment for a snake-bite. This treatment became popularly advertised for a number of reasons, two being 1) a push from stun-gun manufacturers who believed this would increase sales, and 2) medical missionaries thought that this would be a cheap and effective method of treatment of a not-uncommon problem in third-world countries. Unfortunately, this treatment has not passed a number of laboratory tests. In fact, it can create even greater problems for a victim of venomous snakebite. ////

Majority of criticisms is use of voltage that was acknoledged by Guderian to be much too high (max 20kV)

• Guderian, R.H., C.D. Mackenzie, and J.F. Williams. 1986. High voltage shock treatment for snakebite. Lancet 2:229.
• Kroegel, C., and K.H. Meyer zum Buschenfelde. 1986. Biological basis for high-voltage-shock treatment for snakebite [letter]. Lancet 2(8519): 1335.
• Mueller, L. 1988. A shock cure. Outdoor Life June: 64-65, 110-112.
• Mueller, L. 1988. A shocking cure for snakebite. Outdoor Life ?: 45-47, 76-78.
• Schmutzhard, E. 1986. Electric shocks for snakebite [letter]. Lancet 2(8506): 578.