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Gold Is NOT Where You Find It!
by Doc as Published in GPAA Magazine

I am always dismayed when I hear about fellow detectorists who say that they have yet to find a piece of gold with their metal detector after one year, two years, etc.

I find gold almost every time I go detecting.  I may get skunked one out of twenty times.  That one time is usually when I am prospecting totally new ground, and just have not hit a new patch yet.

We all have heard the saying, “Gold is where you find it.”  I think that statement is wrong, very misleading and harmful.

In fact, I think it may give newbies the wrong impression about prospecting for gold.  It implies that gold is randomly dispersed with no rhyme or reason, and if you do happen to find it, it is only by some strange coincidence or luck.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Finding gold is a science and an art, executed by people with the skill and experience who know what they are doing and where to look.

Let’s start with understanding some basic truths.  All we are doing with a metal detector is processing dirt.  The same way you process dirt with a dry washer, or a high banker.  We are just doing it electronically.  The more dirt we process the better chance we have of finding gold.  But think of what a small amount of dirt we are processing with a metal detector.  A column of dirt under the coil to an indeterminate depth and we sweep that coil back and forth.  We do that for 6 to 8 hours a day?  

Now compare that to the tons and tons of dirt you see the boys on the hit television show Gold Rush process.  Yards and yards and tons and tons of dirt processed to collect their gold.  It’s amazing that we find anything when you compare the small amount of dirt we “process” with a metal detector.

So, think about what a bizarre feat it is for a person with a metal detector to process such a small amount of dirt, and yet be able to find gold.  It truly is akin to the old saying “a needle in a haystack.”

Yet, we all know experienced prospectors, who are always posting pictures of their gold finds.  These are prospectors that have been around a while.  These prospectors that consistently find gold with their metal detectors, become pretty well known, pretty quickly, because there just aren’t that many of them.  They become something of celebrities.  Many of these “legends” are featured at the GPAA shows to give informative and invaluable talks.  So how come some of these people are more successful at finding gold than other people?  Do we process more dirt?  NOPE!  We have a secret!

Our secret is we spend our time processing dirt that is more likely to have gold, than other dirt.

We have all heard go low and go slow when using a metal detector.  I agree with that “go low” admonishment.  You need to keep that coil on the ground.  But SLOW?  If you watch experienced detectorists, you will see that they vary their speed when they are “looking for gold.”  They speed up in areas that their knowledge and experience tell them they are less likely to find gold.  Then, they slow down in areas where that experience tells them there may be a greater chance for there to be gold. They spend their time more productively by processing only dirt that has a higher probability of having gold.  When they find a nugget, they may turn around and go back over the area they went through quickly.  This time they will go more slowly.  They do this because they now know this area may be more likely to have gold too.  So they invest their time wisely; only spending valuable time processing high probability ground.

Let me provide an outlandish example.  You are standing in a paved parking lot of a large supermarket.   Next to the supermarket parking lot are acres and acres of quartz strewn red dirt with all kinds of gullies where water has ran during the wet season.  Where are you most likely to find gold?  Are you going to spend your day in the supermarket parking lot swinging over asphalt?  Experienced detectorists are constantly looking at their surroundings.  They look at where they are going and where they have been.  They are calculating the odds.  Is this a supermarket parking lot, or a gold vault?

“Gold is NOT where you find it.”

“Gold is found in places it is most likely to be.” 

Seasoned prospectors have spent their careers learning what those places look like.  Now are we ever surprised to find a nugget in a place where we would never intentionally look.  Certainly, but those are few and far between.

Most of the time when we find a nugget we have a pretty good idea of why it is where it is.  We may observe contact zones of granite and quartz with iron staining, deteriorated quartz is everywhere, we detect on a bench, in a tailings pile, a narrow gully with high sides, in the bend of a gully, under a waterfall of boulders, behind a bush lining a gully, near an old mine or where  there are indications the old timers were working.

I once was way off the beaten path on my ATV.  I found an old canteen that said BEAR BRAND, Patent 1918;  lid still on it, canvas completely gone.  I stopped right there and detected the gully I found it in.  I pulled out three nice little nuggets.

Let’s say after a year you finally find your first nugget.  You find it under a boulder right on the side of a gully.  From that day forward, you will check every boulder on the side of every gully.  Why?  You learned where to look.  It’s no coincidence that after taking so long to find the first nugget, newbies generally find their second nugget soon thereafter.   WHY?  Knowledge and confidence.  I have often said, if you don’t take at least 20 minutes with every nugget you find, letting it tell you it’s story, you are missing a valuable education.  “How did you get here little buddy?  Why did you stop here?  Where did you come from?  What’s different about this gully than other gullies I have checked?  Is there a concentration of deteriorated quartz around here?  A contact zone?  You’re sort of rough, you didn’t travel far did you?  Where are your little friends?”

I can almost bet that any experienced prospector will tell you that they can be riding on their ATV and they will come upon a patch of ground and their heart starts beating a little harder.  They may even say to themselves out loud, “Oh man this area looks good.”  After years and years of experience, we sometimes just “get a feeling.”  It’s not voodoo, it’s just our subconscious telling us that at some time in our past, we came across a place that exhibited similar conditions, and we found gold there.  We may not even remember the specifics of that area in our past on a conscious level, but our sub-conscious knows.

So what is the moral of this story?  Buying a detector and expecting to learn how to become a successful prospector without training is like buying a 747 aircraft and trying to get it airborne when you have had no training.

I hear it time and time again.  I’ve been detecting two years and never found a piece of gold.  “Who trained you?”  TRAINED ME? “Well I’ve done a lot of research and I have read a lot on detecting and prospecting and I have 13 books on prospecting in my library.”

You board a commercial airline and the captain comes on the intercom and says, “I’d like to tell you a little about my knowledge about flying. I’ve done a lot of research on flying an airplane.  I have read a lot on aviation and I have 13 books on the history of aircraft development in my library.”

Ah, put on your seat belt, and make sure you know where the emergency exits are.  Scratch that, just get off the plane!

Someone tells you they have not been successful with a metal detector.  They go on to explain they have never been trained to use their metal detector, or been taught to properly prospect for gold.  That is akin to someone saying, “I have had the worst luck with airplanes.  I have owned five different planes and can’t get the darn things in the air; I have crashed every one of them.”  Where did you get your flight lessons?  “ME? LESSONS?  YOU MEAN FLYING LESSONS?”

So boys and girls, my lesson for today is:

“Gold is NOT where you find it.”

“Gold is found in places it is most likely to be.” 

So hang out with people who can help you and teach you WHERE to look!

A company who only sells you a detector, is doing just that.  They are selling you a detector.  There is nothing wrong with that if you are a seasoned veteran who does not need training, or if you have someone who is willing to take you under their wing and teach you this wonderful past-time.

However, if you are new, or not successful at finding gold, look for metal detector dealers who also offer training.  Then you are not just buying a detector.  You are investing in a relationship with someone who wants to make sure you are successful at learning how to prospect and find gold.  Whatever you invest financially for training will pay huge dividends when it comes to being successful at finding gold.

I have been a metal detector dealer for 26 years.  I have trained detectorists from all around the world.  I have even gone to North Sudan and trained prospectors there.  When I sell a customer a metal detector I recommend two things.  Sign up for a training class and join the GPAA local chapter.  Go to the meetings and attend the outings.  Local GPAA chapters are a treasure trove of knowledge.  They exist for one sole purpose:  to make sure you become a successful gold prospector.  A membership in the GPAA is the most valuable and least expensive investment in fun you will ever make.

G.M. “Doc” Lousignont, Ph.D. has a Ph.D in Criminal Psychology,  a former law enforcement officer and a licensed private investigator for 41 years, his love of solving mysteries led him to prospecting.  In 1992 he opened his prospecting supply store Doc’s Detecting Supply, located in a new 4500 sq foot warehouse at 1180 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 110, Henderson, Nevada 89074.  Ph 1-800-477-3211  Doc is a leading dealer for Minelab Metal Detectors.  His numerous training videos are available on YouTube on his channel Docsdetectingsupply

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Chris Coffee, a long time detectorist had recently purchased a Minelab  Gold Monster 1000 from Doc and traveled from California to receive a day of hands on training.

Starting with some basic information on geology, Doc showed Chris some of the basic things to look for while prospecting for gold.  Most importantly this included spots where Doc had already found gold.  Doc reports, “It’s extremely important for people using a metal detector to actually see locations where gold has been found.  In this way you get a sense of the kind of conditions that give you clues where gold might be.  Some of these things include contact zones of granite and quartz, deteriorated quartz reefs, meandering gullies that are not too steep.  These gullies allow gold to gently move along the gully without getting washed out of the gully or being agitated to the point that they sink way way down to bedrock where they may be out of the reach of a detector.”

After a familiarization with basic geology of the conditions that may indicate placer deposits, Doc went on to familiarize Chris with an understanding of the Gold Monster 1000 operation.

Unfortunately the day went by way too quickly.  Chris acknowledged the information provided was valuable and would help him in his search for gold when he got back to California.

It’s a great time when friends can get together and share an activity they both enjoy.

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The unprecedented growth of Doc’s Detecting Supply, one of the premiere Minelab Dealers in the United States, called for a larger facility more suited to the large amount of merchandise Doc carries and sells.

In March of 2017 Doc secured a new 4500 sq.ft. warehouse located at 1180 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 110 Henderson, NV 89054.  This makes Doc’s location the largest Minelab dealer warehouse west of the Mississippi.  Because we ship an enormous amount of merchandise each day, from orders placed through our website, Ebay and Amazon, we do not have a showroom.  You are always welcome to call for an appointment, if you know what you need.  Because of the demands of filling a large amount of orders each day, we must limit appointments to a 20 minute duration. Insurance regulations prohibit customers from going into the warehouse and shipping area.

Always call for an appointment before dropping in.  Our local Las Vegas number is 702-419-3070.

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“Well out of the blue Doc or Doc’s Detecting Supply of Las Vegas sent me a goodie bag with some product to look over. Thanks Doc! Before I begin I want you to know I did not request this stuff. In order to not look like I am trading favorable comments for gear I am going to use this stuff as prizes in various forum contests I have planned (best finds, etc.). All these goodies Doc sent me will be finding new homes in the near future so stay tuned.

I already have a few of Doc’s products. I have one of his original Swingy Thingy support harnesses from over ten years ago. I don’t use it per se but it remains in my detecting kit at all time “just in case”. This is cool because Doc sent me the latest version of the Ultra Swingy Thingy to look at, and they are light years apart. The old one is little more than a strap and bungee. The new one is a full harness system.”

To read the entire review:
Steve Herschbach Reviews Doc’s New Products

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GPZ 7000

OVERVIEW SPECIFICATIONS DOWNLOADS COMPARE IMAGES TREASURE TALK

WHERE TO BUY

This exciting detector has many versatile features and new technologies, including wireless audio, integrated GPS and a weatherproof platform.

With extreme depth capability and maximum gold sensitivity, the innovative GPZ 7000 takes gold detecting to a new level of performance. This exciting detector has many versatile features and new technologies including wireless audio, integrated GPS and a weatherproof platform. With easy page navigation for detecting and mapping functions, and icons showing settings at a glance, you’ll be an expert in no time!

 

 

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Features:

Extreme Gold Depth So how deep can you go? Well, up to 40%* deeper than the GPX series. Old gold fields are new again, thanks to the revolutionary new ZVT technology. Minelab takes you much deeper than ever before!	Simple Menu System The easy-to-use Menu Pages group similar functions together under Detect and Map sections, with all settings quickly accessible. Use the Guide Sequences to get started. You don’t need to be an expert to find gold!
Maximum Gold Sensitivity The incredible sensitivity of the GPZ 7000 with the Super‑D coil gives you the ultimate advantage in the field. Find gold others have missed, from sub-gram gold through to those elusive ‘retirement nuggets’ still out there.	Wireless Audio Freedom Detect without your headphones attached to the detector. With the WM 12 Wireless Module you have the choice of using the in-built speaker, the supplied headphones, or your favourite headphones.
Precision Ground Balance Most gold is buried in the mineralised ‘difficult’ ground that many detectors can’t cope with. The GPZ 7000 accurately ‘balances’ and automatically ‘tracks’ to even the most severe ground conditions, with ease.	GPS Locating & PC Mapping See your location and log gold finds as you detect. With the built-in GPS you’ll efficiently cover more ground and won’t miss a nugget! Record your favourite ‘hot-spots’ by saving data to XChange 2 with Google Maps.
Enhanced Noise Immunity The outstanding noise immunity of the GPZ 7000 enables very smooth and quiet detecting. With 256 Noise Cancel channels, the GPZ 7000 picks up less atmospheric noise. Listen to the gold, not the noise interference!	Waterproof Coil to 1 m (3 ft)‡ The GPZ 14 coil is waterproof and submersible to a depth of 1 m (3 ft). You can easily detect rivers and shorelines with no fuss! The weatherproof design of the GPZ 7000 allows you to go detecting in rainy or wet conditions.

* When compared to the average performance of the GPX 5000 in typical environments. Actual performance depends on prevailing conditions.

‡ GPZ 7000 detector is weatherproof only. GPZ 14 coil is fully waterproof to 1 m (3 ft). WM 12 is not waterproof or weatherproof.

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“The GPZ 7000 doesn’t make gold, but sometimes it seems like it can!”

Excerpt from test report № 2

“I revisited an old rich patch today where previously I couldn’t work the ground because of noise and instability. With the GPZ 7000 the difference was staggering. The gold started to come in nice and steady with a haul of 30 grams at the end of the session. The biggest nugget weighed in at 12 grams and was 17 inches deep.”

Excerpt from test report №1

“I managed to find some decent gold at depth, including a 2 ½ ounce nugget at over 2 ½ feet. A GPX 5000 with a 20-inch Monoloop couldn’t even touch it.”

Jonathan Porter, Australia

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I was finding gold right and left as if this location had never seen a detector before.”

“I was having a ‘Eureka Moment’, the whole experience was mind blowing. The GPZ 7000 was working some serious electronic magic. I have not found that many large chunks of gold that fast in very many years–1.6 ounces of gold in less than three hours! The GPZ was able to detect fine specimen gold at depths far exceeding what one of the best hot VLF detectors could attain in this soil.”

“The GPZ 7000 is taking gold detecting to the NEXT LEVEL, and I am very fortunate to be one of the first people to see its power first hand. My goal for the upcoming year is to spend as much time as possible using this detector in known gold locations.”

Steve Herschbach, USA

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Maximum Gold Recovery- Detector Comparison

With extreme depth and maximum sensitivity, the GPZ 7000 outperforms both the SDC 2300 and the GPX 5000.

* When compared to the average performance of the GPX 5000 in typical environments. Actual performance depends on prevailing conditions.

The information displayed in this graph is an out-of-the-box comparison, is indicative only, and is based on the results of laboratory measurements and field testing undertaken by, and for, Minelab using a GPX 5000 with the 11″ Monoloop coil, an SDC 2300 with attached 8″ Monoloop coil and a GPZ 7000 with the GPZ 14 Super-D coil. The nominal performance for GPX 5000 with the 11″ Monoloop coil is used as the baseline for comparison of the other detectors. The performance of the GPX 5000 on larger nuggets with a larger comparable accessory 15″ x 12″ Monoloop coil is also depicted. Note that a GPZ 7000 with a GPZ 14 coil will also typically further outperform a GPX 5000 with larger accessory coils on small and medium nuggets.

Please be aware that the depicted results give a relative and realistic comparison of the three detectors for typical goldfields conditions for detecting the weight ranges of gold shown, but do not represent performance under all conditions, and should not be regarded as conclusive.

Minelab does not warrant or represent that the performance levels depicted will actually be achieved, as performance of the three detectors will vary depending upon prevailing conditions. Relevant factors in detector performance include, but are not limited to, detector settings, coil size and configuration, ground type, mineralisation levels and type, electromagnetic interference, gold nugget size, shape and composition, and operator skill level.

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New Gold Technology

A quantum leap in gold performance with breakthrough new technology from Bruce Candy.

ZVT technology goes to the NEXT LEVEL for all serious gold prospectors, providing substantially improved depth. No longer will you be limited to using either sine wave continuous VLF transmission detectors, that struggle in mineralised ground, or square wave PI transmission detectors, that can be insensitive to varying gold sizes and compositions.

“This revolutionary new ZVT technology far surpasses GPX detectors for detecting deep large nuggets AND finding gold at any depth. The GPZ 7000 will open up the gold fields again.”

Bruce Candy, GPZ Inventor

ZVT (Zero Voltage Transmission) creates ultra‑constant high-power opposite polarity magnetic fields, increasing gold sensitivity. This innovative technology detects gold nuggets at extreme depths.

Super‑D The Super‑D smart coil consists of a central transmit winding and two outer receive windings. This configuration greatly decreases interference from magnetic soils, reducing ground noise.

GPSi uses a u‑blox GPS engine to integrate location and time data with detector settings. This creates WayPoint, FindPoint and GeoHunt files to use with XChange 2.

Wi‑Stream uses low-power digital audio transmission to achieve no perceivable audio time lag (<10 ms). This provides reliability and maximum sound quality.

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Simple Menu Navigation

With intuitive page navigation for detecting and mapping functions, and icons showing settings at a glance, you’ll be an expert in no time! The GPZ 7000 is fully customisable and configurable, with many easily adjustable functions.

 

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Audio Discrimination

When prospecting the golden rule is to dig all solid signals. However, the type of target under the coil and buried beneath the ground can be distinguished by the audio response the detector sounds.

The GPZ 7000 gold detector audio response provides discrimination in the form of pitch and tone when the coil passes over ferrous or non-ferrous targets, similarly with amplitude and duration for shallow and deep targets.

For example, the audio response for small gold will be a low-pitched tone followed by a high-pitched tone. A ferrous signal such as a bottle cap will produce a high-pitched tone followed by a low-pitched one, enabling the user to discriminate the ferrous target.

A louder, shorter sound will indicate a shallow target while a quieter, broader sound will indicate the presence of a deep, large target. A target that sounds off multiple times each swing will invariably be a near-surface or surface target.

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Videos

To learn more about the Minelab GPZ 7000 metal detector watch our videos here

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EQUINOX 800

Overview Specifications Downloads Images Treasure Talk

With innovative NEW simultaneous multi-frequency technology, the EQUINOX Series redefines all-purpose detecting for the serious enthusiast. Equally adaptable for all target types and ground conditions, just set your detecting location and go!

With the added functionality of Gold Mode, High Frequency 20/40 kHz., Wireless audio accessories and Advanced settings, the EQUINOX 800 offers extra versatility.

 

Features:

	Simultaneous Multi-Frequency True intelligent Simultaneous Multi-Frequency for maximum performance, plus a wide range of single frequencies.		8 Custom Search Profiles Each Detect Mode features 2 custom Search Profiles so you can save your favourite settings in each mode.
	Waterproof Design EQUINOX is fully submersible, ideal for detecting at the beach and in rivers, streams and lakes. (3m / 10-feet)		Fast & Accurate Target ID Fast recovery speed with accurate Target ID ensures you won’t miss any valuable targets amongst the trash.
	Sleek & Lightweight Rugged and lightweight construction allows you to enjoy long detecting sessions in any environment.		Advanced Settings Gain even more control of your detector audio with Advanced Settings; you decide how much target information you hear.
	High-Speed Wireless Audio Experience ultra-fast wireless audio with the WM 08, or use fast aptX™ Low Latency / Bluetooth headphones.		Gold Detecting Mode Gold Mode operates the high single frequencies of either 20 kHz or 40 kHz to detect gold nuggets in mineralised soils.

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“The Minelab EQUINOX is truly in a league of its own. In the short time I’ve been operating this machine, I’ve recovered deep coins and artifacts from iron infested sites that other machines simply cannot detect.”

– Brandon Neice  

Left: Rare 1876 Carson City minted US dime​ | Centre and right: Ancient Roman coin, possibly Aurelius Sol Invictus AD 270-275​ (obverse and reverse)

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Detect Modes

Equally adaptable for all target types and ground conditions… just select your detecting location and go!

Great for high-trash recreational areas, including most general detecting.

Ideal for detecting in historical fields for the widest range of target sizes.

Optimised for all salty conditions – dry sand, wet sand, surf, underwater.

Best suited for gold nugget prospecting in mineralised goldfield locations.

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“EQUINOX GOLD BABY!!! Derek and I were testing the EQUINOX prototype yesterday, on another Victorian dump field over on the East side of Scotland. The field was very contaminated and busy with lead, scrap, iron, etc.

We managed a few nice finds and one special 22ct gold coin from the reign of Queen Victoria, dated 1849 – 168 years old!!. It was a great signal at around 6-8 inches and one you would dig all day long. We were detecting next to a Roman camp and quite possibly unearthed a broken Roman cast bell, could be medieval though and one or two other cool artefacts”       

 – Sharon McLennan  

 

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User Interface

The clear LCD features large Target ID numbers so you can see your target ID at a glance. All of the information you need when detecting is right there in front of you.

Detect Modes and operating frequency can be instantly changed at the push of a button for a dynamic and uninterrupted detecting experience. 

Using the EQUINOX 800 user interface, you can:

• Change the Detect Mode, Frequency and Sensitivity on the go.
• Create your own notch discrimination patterns to ignore unwanted targets.
• Activate All-Metal mode to temporarily disable the current discrimination pattern.
• Activate Pinpoint mode to zero-in on a promising target so that you know exactly where to dig.
• Adjust an array of essential and advanced detecting functions including Noise Cancel, Ground Balance, Volume Adjust, Threshold Level, Target Tone, Accept / Reject and Recovery Speed.
• Customise Advanced Settings to change the way detections are heard, by selecting the number, pitch, and volume of your detection signals.
• View the status of your battery and wireless audio device connections.

Plus more!

For detailed information on user interface functionality and operation, download the EQUINOX 600 | 800 Getting Started Guide from the downloads tab.

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On a recent trip to England:

EQUINOX is a remarkable detector! I detected a medieval fair site littered with iron and coke [hot rocks] that had been hunted to death 6 weeks before I arrived. The number of targets recovered was impressive including, Rose farthings, trade tokens, buttons, fleur-de-lis mount, brass nails and bits of lead / brass scrap.

 – Jeff Lutz 

 

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Multi-IQ

Low frequencies give more depth on large targets, and high frequencies are usually more sensitive to small targets. 

With EQUINOX you can operate across the full spectrum of frequencies simultaneously for maximum results.

Read more detailed information and reviews on our game-changing Multi-IQ technology on the Minelab Treasure Talk Blog.

* 20 kHz and 40 kHz are not available as single operating frequencies in EQUINOX 600. The Multi-IQ frequency range shown applies to both EQUINOX 600 and 800. This diagram is representative only. Actual sensitivity levels will depend upon target types and sizes, ground conditions and detector settings.

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Other Technologies

EQUINOX 800 offers 5 single frequencies of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 40 kHz, giving an expanded 8-times range of 5 to 40 kHz.​

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Maximum wireless audio compatibility – Connect conventional Bluetooth headphones, high-speed aptX™ Low Latency devices, or the ultra-fast Wi-Stream enabled WM 08 audio module.  

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Carton Contents

Wireless Bluetooth / apt-X Low Latency headphones

WM 08 wireless audio module

USB charging cable with magnetic connector

Multi-language screen protectors

Getting Started Guide English & Russian

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Debunking Usage of Electric Shock for
First-Aid Treatment of Venomous Snakebite

How the Electric Snakebite Treatment Craze Got Started

Dr Ronald Guderian, a missionary doctor in South America sent a letter to the prestigious medical journal The Lancet and they published it in July, 1986. Guderian wrote that while working in the lowland rain forests of Ecuador he had occasion to witness the application of electric shock to some 34 alleged snakebite victims. Application consisted of five one-second high voltage, low amperage shocks using the spark plug cable of a running outboard motor. According to Guderian none of the victims that were treated had the effects of snakebite envenomation. Within a few days of this letters publication, a variety of mass media including the NY Times, AMA News and Time Magazine picked up on the story and the treatment was sensationalized as a panacea for venomous snakebite. The fact remains that even up to today there is not one shred of scientific proof that the victims sucessfully treated by electricity had received venom from their snakebite and in some cases, identification of the offending snake was undetermined which means that they could well have been non-venomous. Any treatment, including water, will work on a “venomous” bite where no venom was injected or in a simple bite by a non-venomous species. A variety of reasons for the success of the treatment were postulated including a direct effect on venom chemistry or a shut down of local blood vessels by a spasmogenic response to the shock. About a year later the story was picked up by Outdoor Life Magazine, a publication for sportsmen and campers. Their article extolled the virtues of Guderian’s report and rather forcefully, if unscientifically, advocated the use of stun guns (already on the market as immobilizing weapons) for the treatment of venomous snakebite in spite of the fact that there is not an iota of scientific evidence to back this up. A number of researchers performed animal studies with electric shock and in every single instance it was determined that electric shock had absolutely no beneficial effect in a snakebite envenomation. Outdoor Life then published more articles on the subject, catering perhaps to the desires of stun gun manufacturers who advertised in their pages. The use of stun guns was recommended without reservation on snakebite in hunting dogs as well as humans. To this end Outdoor Life also published testimonials from people who used stun guns with apparent good results on their dogs or on themselves! . Again it must be pointed out that the vast majority of snakebites are trivial with little or no venom injected; such bites are known as dry or blank bites. Many people also believe all snakes are venomous so that bites by non- venomous species, which require no first-aid other than disinfection and dressings, were also stunned into submission by these devices.Others may be bitten by a non-venomous species that they believe to be venomous. In such situations any treatment will be effective.

Some Substantiated Facts about Electroshock in Snakebite

Fact: There is absolutely no scientifically sound evidence that electric shock or the use of any stun gun on a snakebite, either in man or animal, is effective in preventing the effects of venomous snakebite. In victims with serious snakebite who used the device they still had symptoms of snakebite and required standardized medical treatment including antivenom. They may have had some relief from pain and swelling as a result of the shock but that is all.

Fact: Application of electric shock with a stun gun is intended to immobilize a target, making it go down. It is risky and dangerous to apply this sort of insult to a person who may already be severely compromised by a venomous snakebite. The shock itself can be painful and damage to local tissues can exacerbate local tissue necrosis and infection.

Fact: In spite of anecodtal and non-scientific testimonial reports to the contrary, unless or until the beneficial effects of this treatment can be duplicated in animal experiments in the laboratory, the use of a stun gun on electro shock can be dangerous as well as a useless, time wasting exercise and time would be better spent applying more conventional means of first aid and arranging transport to the nearest medical facility.

Fact: The use of electric shock as reported by Guderian in 1986 is nothing new. It was widely used at the turn of the century under similar promise supported by unscientific, testimonial or anecodtal reports. It fell out of favor when people who used it did not achieve relief….some no doubt died and the idea of electric shock for snakebite was swiftly relegated to the trash heap. It is particularly frustrating, therefore, that in 1998 the scientific and medical communities are again faced with an unsubstantiated treatment for a disorder that can have grave consequences if improperly treated.

We urge all readers of this website who pack a stun gun for the purpose of treating a snakebite to reconsider their views and choice of first aid in this matter unless or until there is bona fide scientific evidence the method is of benefit. Thank you.

The following scientific studies and references concern the inability of electric shock (stun gun and other forms of electricity delivery) to benefit victims snakebite.

==================================================
Postgrad Med 1987 Oct;82(5):32 
Another warning about electric shock for snakebite.
Russell FE
Publication Type: Letter 
=================================================

Postgrad Med 1987 Aug;82(2):42 
Don't use electric shock for snakebite.
Ryan AJ
Publication Types:
Letter 
=================================================

Ann Emerg Med 1988 Mar;17(3):254-256 
Electric shock does not save snakebitten rats.
Howe NR, Meisenheimer JL Jr
Department of Dermatology, Medical University of
South Carolina, 
Charleston 29425. 

A team of missionary doctors from Ecuador recently
described striking success in the treatment of 
venomous snakebites with a series of brief,
high-voltage, low-current electric shocks applied
to the bit site. We designed a randomized, controlled,
blinded test of their methods in laboratory rats. 
Venom of the Common Lancehead, Bothrops atrox, was
injected subcutaneously into rats in a series of 
increasing doses. Half of each dose group then 
was shocked with a  device used by the Ecuadoran 
group. Envenomated animals developed hemorrhagic
ulcers at the injection sites, the size of which 
was strongly related to venom dose. Electric shock
did not influence the development of morbidity or
the eventual ulcer size in sublethally envenomated
animals, nor did shocks reduce mortality in lethally
envenomated animals. We conclude that shocks are
without effect on snakebitten rats, and we discuss
implications of our findings for the treatment
of snakebitten human beings. 
=================================================

Toxicon 1987;25(12):1347-1349 
Electric shocks are ineffective in treatment of
lethal effects of rattlesnake  envenomation in mice.

Johnson EK, Kardong KV, Mackessy SP
Department of Physiological Sciences, Oklahoma
State University, Stillwater 74078. 

Electrical shocks, even crudely delivered from 
'stun guns' and gasoline engine spark plugs, 
have been reported to be effective in the 
treatment of snake bite. We thus applied similar
electric shocks to mice artificially injected 
with reconstituted rattlesnake venom at various
LD50 multiples. Those envenomated mice treated
with electric shock survived no better than the
controls. We thus found no evidence that electric
shocks crudely administered had any life saving
effect in mice. 
=================================================

Ann Emerg Med 1991 Jun;20(6):659-661 
Failure of electric shock treatment for rattlesnake
envenomation.

Dart RC, Gustafson RA
Section of Emergency Medicine, University of
Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson. 

The use of high-voltage electric shock therapy for
the treatment of snake venom poisoning has recently
gained popularity in the United States. We
present a case that documents the dangerous, 
ineffective application of electric shock to the
face of a patient envenomated by a Great Basin
rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis lutosus). The successful
use of antivenin in this critically ill, antivenin
allergic patient is described. 

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