Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 227, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1916 — DEADLY SNAKES MADE STUDY [ARTICLE]

DEADLY SNAKES MADE STUDY

"Garden of Serpents,” In Brazil, la Maintained for the Production of Serums. Brazil’s “Garden of Serpents” is one of the most interesting, though to some, repulsive sights in the world, and is maintained purely for scientific purposes. It is located at Butanta, Brazil, and occupies in ail some 700 acres. Here are the laboratories which produce serums for the cure and prevention of the effects of snake bites. The snakes used in preparing the serums are kept in a small park, containing numerous dome-shaped shelters, which is surrounded by a wall and a ditch filled with water. Other specimens are kept in a similar park near the main building, in order to study their habits, favorite food, the very diverse venomous properties of various species, and the best 1 method of escaping their attacks. The hot and moist forests of Brazil contain many venomous serpents, but the slightest noise alarms the peaceful and timid reptiles, which attack only those persons and animals that tread on them or destroy their lairs. The principal families are the Bothrops and the Crotales, or rattlesnakes. The Bothrops’ venom decomposes the blood and produces internal hemorrhage, with intense congestion of the liver, kidneys and brain, while the venom of the Crotales paralyzes the respiration, circulation and Vision, and usually causes death within twenty-four hours. Each venom requires its special antidote. The laboratory heads prepare a serum for each, and also a polyvalent, or compound serum, which is effective against all Brazilian snake venoms, for use when the species of the attacking snake is unknown. The serums are obtained from young and sound horses and asses, w’hich receive, at Intervals of five or six days, injections of venom, increasing from one-twentieth milligram to one gram. A year’s treatment is required to produce perfect immunity and an effective serum. The polyvalent serum is obtained by injecting the venoms of Bothrops and Crotales alternately. The animals thus immunized furnish antivenom serum for a long time if they receive a fresh injection of venom after each extraction of serum. Tubes of serum, with hypodermic syringes, are sent gratuitously to hospitals, municipalities and poor patients. Others are sold at low prices or exchanged for live snakes. Serums for pest, diphtheria and tetanus also are produced by the usual methods.