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Snake Bite Deaths Reduced At Sao Paulo Institute
Shippen Sees Variety of Poisonous Pets as Mann Arranges Swaps
^[[May 8th]]
Bearing gifts for South American zoos, Dr. William H. Mann, director of the National Zoological Park, is en route to points in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay to collect birds, reptiles and animals.  Among those accompanying him is William H. Shippen, Jr., feature writer of the Star staff, who here presents the 13th of a series of articles about Dr. Mann's expedition.

By W. H. Shippen, Jr.,
Star Staff Correspondent.

Santos, Brazil.  Cutting down the death toll from snake and spider bites has been developed into a fine science in these parts.

The barefoot native working in some remote jungle no longer need curl up and die when struck by some snake he never saw -- nor need poisonous and sometimes fatal infections progress after an encounter with a hairy tarantula or a wolf spider in the bush.

Curative serums have been developed and widely distributed from the famous "snake farm" -- the Institute of Butantan, operated by the State of Sao Paolo, on the outskirts of the city of Sao Paulo, about 60 miles across the coastal mountains from this coffee port.

Zoo Director William M. Mann of Washington has given several lectures on the work of the institute, but never had an opportunity to see it until today, when he and Mrs. Mann were guests of the director, Dr. James Calvente.  Both scientists are untiring collectors, and soon were swapping snakes as well as stories.

Dr. Mann plans to present to the institute several Gila monsters, the large, poisonous, orange-and-black lizards native to the deserts of our Southwest -- part of a zoological collection he is taking to Buenos Aires as a gift to the Zoo there.  In return, Dr. Calvente probably will have several bags of snakes waiting at this port when Dr. Mann stops by some six weeks hence.

Arrange Future Swaps.
Few if any poisonous lizards live in South America, and Dr. Calvente considers the Gila monsters a valuable addition to his "farm."  In addition, the two scientists arranged for the exchange of snakes in the future -- swaps to enable both to round out their collections.

Even persons who are repelled by the sight of squirming serpent would enjoy the architectural and floral beauties of the "farm" -- its impressive buildings, collection of palms and pines, formal gardens, vivid flowers.

Less obtrusive are the little concrete "pill boxes" scattered over sunken grass plots inclosed by low walls -- the home of the snakes, one inclosure for the cobra type, whose bite attacks the nervous system; another for vipers, poisoners of the blood stream, and still another for non-poisonous varieties -- boas, etc.  In the latter inclosure are trees whose branches, on sunny days, are laden with huge snakes whose coloration blends them with the foliage.  The colored skins and patterns of these climbers made them things of beauty -- to the naturalists, anyhow.

All in Knowing How.
A bored attendant in a white coat leaped into an inclosure with a stick that had a metal crosspiece at the bottom.  He hooked a squirming mass of rattlers from a pill box and caught one by pinning it down with the stick and grasping it just behind the head with his right hand.  The huge, flailing body he tucked under his left arm.  (Incidentally, he was smoking a cigarette.)  The attendant ran nimbly along a wall and leaped into the midst of some 20 spectators.  Everybody (with the possible exception of the amateur photographers, who are afraid of nothing -- I've noticed -- except a poor exposure) drew back.  An assistant director produced a glass dish.

The attendant hooked the inch-long, curving fangs of the rattler over the edge of the dish and squeezed the snake's head.

A drop, two drops of clear fluid came from the snake's poison glands.

"One drop" remarked the assistant director, "would do for us all -- if properly distributed!"

Thus is the poison obtained for developing a serum from the blood of infected animals.

The institute handles some 60,000 snakes a year.  They are sent in by donors, and transported from from distant parts of South America.  One phial of serum is given for each fourth snake.  The institute also sends out educational literature.

How Bites Appear.
For instance, a poisonous snake usually makes two clean punctures in the skin, while the non-poisonous variety probably would inflict many punctures, or scratches.  A picture of how the two bites appear on flesh could save some persons from a nervous breakdown, when all they had to fear was a local infection, and others from disregarding the widely spaced, clean punctures.  Often in densely vegetated areas a victim never glimpses the snake that bit him.

In the institute's museum are some 200 varieties of snakes preserved in alcohol, and an impressive collection, living and dead, of tarantulas -- or mygale, as they are called here -- and wolf spiders, of the family lycosidae.  The tarantulas often are imported to the States in cargoes of bananas.  Some of these, in natural position, are 6 inches across, from leg tip to leg tip.  They are not as aggressive as the wolf spider, however.

Both are hunters which spring on their victims.  Their game includes small birds.  The bite of either may cause a fatal infection.  The institute is developing a curative serum.

In the States, it was said, a serum for victims of the black widow spider is being made from the pulp of the spider's body.

The institute also is experimenting with preventative measures for yellow fever and other tropical diseases.

One theory being investigated is that monkeys carry yellow fever germs.

Tapir Has Many Friends.
The pets at the institute include a squealing little tapir. The stripes on his coat run lengthwise, a marking which will disappear later.  Just now he has a fine time with the free run of the institute's menagerie, making a lot of friends and a general nuisance of himself.  His name is something in Portuguese which I won't attempt to translate.  (It sounds a bit profane.)

The institute was founded some 40 years ago and its methods are studied all over the world.  It is credited with saving some 5,000 lives a year from snake bite in Brazil alone.  

The British recently sent a group to compare what is being done at Sao Paulo with their own work to save the natives of India from the cobra.

In Rio the other day Dr. Mann visited the snake farm established by Dr. Vital Brazil, founder the Institute of Butantan, and the discoverer of snake serum, who resigned to pursue independent researches.  Dr. Brazil, among other things, is interested in poisonous toads found in many regions of South America.

One toad has poison glands in its back.  It cannot inject the poison by biting, but can inflict awful punishment on anything which bites it.  For example, a snake bites the toad, and the membranes of its mouth become so inflamed it dies in convulsions in a few minutes.  This was demonstrated.

There is one snake, however, which is immune to toad poison.  Still another snake in this vicinity, a relative of the rattler, poisons its victims in two ways -- through nerves and blood stream.

The institute, it would appear, has accomplished much, but is not inclined at this time to rest upon its laurels. 

The scientists were willing to admit they have a lot to learn!

Tomorrow:  Impressions of three cities.