The Washington herald., 1913-10-27
sNUGGERY FOR SNAKES.
The Unique Vernon Institute at San
PauIo, Brazil.

From London Tit BitA
One hears daily of charitable individuals
with plenty of time and money inaugural
ing homes for various unfortunate types
Of humanity, but the most unique es-
| ltablishment of its kind IL certainly the
Vernon Institute of San Paulo. In Brazil.
where q 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 gov
ernment to cope with the situation
Large bands OF men, wearing thick
boots, leggings. and gloves for protection
against the snake bites. daily hunt the
thickly 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.
the snake firmly by the tail. without any
danger to themselves As soon as a snake
Is caught In this manner, 1t is uncere-
moniously thrust into a basket, where.
together with a writhing, coliing mass of
its brethren, II is conveyed TO the home.
A large conservatory containing long
rows OF glass-covered boxes, similar TO
the glass cases used in greenhouses for
growing tomatoes, is used as a sorting
place for the large quantities OF reptiles
which are brought into the home every
day.
Each case is labeled with the particular
species Of snake il contains, SO that when
the days bag Is brought in. 1t is a
comparatively simple matter for the ex-
pert naturalist to grip each one with the
above-described instrument, and. recog-
mixing its species, put il in the proper re-
ceptacle.
what Is called the operating table. Here,
under the personal supervision OF fully
qualified doctor. garbed exactly as the
surgeon in the operating room Of a hos
pital. with the long white overall, fine
rubber gloves, and so on, the snake rs
robbed of its poison-termed serum
and rendered quite harmless.
One man grips the snake firmly by the
tail; which is no easy task, for II will
wriggle and twist and turn in a 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 poi
sonous serum.
small glass dish is held directly be-
meath the bag, and the doctor proceeds
to drain II of its contents. Each snake
yleius sOneInlnB Ike tniTty CenIlBrdInes
of serum, which in appearance great
ly resembles ordinary milk.
When the operation is over the snake
is taken away and placed in a large gar
den, from which escape is a matter of
OF course 1t would be most 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 element, trees, shrubs.
long and thick, pools and streams. where |
he may disport himself on warm days,
Is provided by the institute.
Hundreds of perfectly harmless reptiles
Of almost every kind may be seen gliding |
about in these gardens, and one can well |
imagine the horror a traveller. with no |
of the circumstances, would |
experience in finding himself suddenly |
surrounded by hordes of these reptiles.