Dehydration turns the snake poison into very fine yellowish crystals

Dehydration turns the snake poison into very fine yellowish crystals

Collection:
Images from the History of Medicine (IHM)
Contributor(s):
Henrioud, D, photographer
Language(s):
English
French
Format:
Still image
Subject(s):
Snake Bites
World Health Organization.
Abstract:
A vial of 'dehydrated' snake poison. Verso: WHO/9874. Congo-Snake Poison. The world of snakes. 40,000 people are killes by snakebite every year according to conservative estimates made by WHO. Most of the deaths occur in Asia wher every type of poisonous snake is found. Africa, where this photo was taken, has a wide variety of poisonous snakes. Effective antidotes to snakebite have been developed. Shake poison is collected and after having been inactivated is injected into an animal which produces antibodies against it. Serum for human protection is then obtained from the blood fo the animal. WHO has provided antisnakebite serum to Burma when people there wars threatened during widespread floods by snakes seeking higher ground. At the snake farm of the Institute Pasteur in Bazzaville snake poison is collected. Dehydration turns the snake poison into very fine yellowish crystals, which are then sent to Paris.
Copyright:
This item may be under copyright protection; contact the copyright owner for permission before re-use.
Copyright Information:
World Health Organization; World Health Organization website
Extent:
1 photoprint.
NLM Unique ID:
101437348 (See catalog record)
NLM Image ID:
A014091
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101437348