When I was about 12 years old, I was bitten by a garter snake. I had been teasing it. My mother put idoine on it, but a few days later, it was really swollen and I made a trip to the family doctor. He treated it with anti biotics and it healed. The doctor opined that the wound was infected by bacteria, possibly from his digestive fluids. Now I am wondering if it might have been this mild toxic mentioned in the article.