Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1913-08-29
HOME FOR SNAKES
Venom Institute of San Paulo,
Brazil, Very Unique.
Poisonous Reptiles After They Are
Rendered Harmless Are Allowed to
Roam at viii In a Wonder
fuI Garden.

New York.-One hears daily of char
table individuals with plenty OF
time and money inaugurating homes
for various unfortunate types Of hu.
manity, but the most unique establish
ment OF its kind is certainly the Ven
ON institution Of San Paulo, In Brazil,
where permanent and comfortable
home is provided for poisonous
snakes.
The institute is in a part Of Brazil
noted for its superabundance of ven
omous reptiles, where the loss of life
from snake bites became so serious
that something had to be done by the
government to cope with the situa-
ton.
Large bands of men, wearing thick
boots, leggings and gloves for protec-
ton against grassed districts round
about the institute armed with long
thin tubes, terminating in two semi
circular claws, which are controlled
at the end nearest the body and can
be opened or closed at will.
BY this means they are able to
grasp the snake by the tail without
any danger to themselves.
AS soon as a snake is caught in this
manner it is unceremoniously thrust
into a basket, where, together with a
writhing, coiling mass of its brethren,
1t is conveyed to the home.
A large conservatory containing
long rows Of glass covered boxes, sim
liar to the glass cases used In green
houses for growing tomatoes, is used
as sorting place for the large guam
titles Of reptiles which are brought
into the house every day.
Each case is labeled with the par
ticular species of snake it contains, so
that when the days bag" is brought
in, it Is comparatively simple mat
ter for the expert naturalist to grip
each with the above described instru-
ment, and, recognizing its species, put
it in the proper receptacle.
The next stage in this queer place
is what is called the operating table.
Here, under the personal supervision
Of a fully qualified doctor, CARRIED ex-
actly as the surgeons in the operating
room of a hospital, with the long
white overall, fine rubber gloves and
so on, the snake is robbed of it's poi
son-termed "serum" and rendered
harmless.
One man grips the snake firmly by
the tail; which is no easy task, for it
will wriggle and twist and turn in
manner that would tax severely the
strongest wrist; whilst the doctor
forces the jaws open with a surgical
instrument until he gets hold Of the
bag containing the poisonous serum
A small glass dish is held directly
beneath the bag, and the doctor pro-
ceeds to drain it of its contents. Each
snake yields something like so cent?
grammes Of serum which, in appear
ance, greatly resembles ordinary milk.
When the operation is over the
snake is taken away and placed in
large garden, from which escape is
matter of impossibility
OF course, 1t would be more cruel
to turn the poor, defenseless snake
adrift into the woods again, for he
would be entirely at the mercy of
his enemies and soon succumb. So
this garden, which contains almost
everything Mr.. SNAKE would find in
his natural elements, trees, shrubs,
long, thick grass, pools and stream
where he may dispcrt himself on
warm days, is provided by the insti-
ute.