Who would inject themselves with the snake venom knowing the deadly effect? Believe it or not, there are roughly 20 people around the world who had completed this challenge for various reason: either to prove that they can live without seeking medical attention or a mean to build immunity toward various venom.
Bill Haast (December 30, 1910 to June 15, 2011)
He became the director of Miami Serpentarium Lab which opened in 1948. In the initial days, the lab was primarily an attraction for tourist. Through time, the lab was reorganized to become a facility housed with cobras. The cobras were taken care of and the venom were extracted for scientific research. Haast was mainly responsible for extracting venom from the cobras. It has been estimated in 2008, that Haast has been bitten 172 times by venomous snakes during the field of duty. Over the course of time, the venom degraded the tissue in Haast's hand.
Bill Haast, pictured on the left, injecting himself of the deadly cobra venom. Haast started the immunization program on September 10, 1948 in which he started injection of highly diluted venom. His first venom was a tiny dose of cobra venom, but in later years he started receiving a mixture of over 30 different venoms from various snakes once a week. “I started injecting with cobra venom just to see if I could do build up antibodies and resist snake venom.” He does not admit that the venom is the key to his great health, but state that he was never sick expect for snake bites. Haast has been taking cobra venom every week since 1948 until his death at age of 100 years 5 month. "Not only did that immunization protect Bill from the full effects of the venomous bites, and it is important to say that he did not have a full immunity as one who is newly vaccinated against smallpox might have, but instead the injections provided a very high level of resistance" (www.billhaast.com). In an interview at the age of 88, when asked if he thinks the venom is helping him; his response "I can not prove it but if I reach a 100 and I’m doing what I’m doing now then I’ll say yes it has worked." Haast’s blood was so potent that he donated it as anti-venom for snake bites victims around the world. Haast's motivation was not for the money, but from satisfaction of helping save lives. Only person in the world to have survived 3 king cobra bites. |
Letter on the Left Gene Hancock was among the many people that Bill Haast helped. Hancock was one of the victims that received the cobra venom as a means to treat polio, with successful outcome. In 1989, Gene Hancock was bitten by a saw-scaled viper and did not suffer any negative consequences. |
The Polio Project
Since Haast started to develop a certain degree of resistant to cobra venom, he wondered if it could help treat infantile paralysis(polio). At the time there was no cure for polio, but only technique to help reduce the symptoms. A group of healthy monkeys were initially used for the test. All were injected with the polio disease, and half of those where treated with cobra venom as well. Suprisingly, all the untreated monkeys died of polio, but the ones injected with cobra venom survived. This led researchers and scientists to pursue further investigation to determine what extent would the venom help in humans. One of the leading pharmaceutical company at the time worked with the Miami Serpertium Lab to develop cobraoxin(highly purified cobra venom). One of the first successful victims of polio to be treated with cobra venom was Haast's nephew. He was diagnosed with polio at the age of 2, when he had paralysis spreading to his lower limbs. After the administration of cobra venom he soon had mobility of his legs.
Since Haast started to develop a certain degree of resistant to cobra venom, he wondered if it could help treat infantile paralysis(polio). At the time there was no cure for polio, but only technique to help reduce the symptoms. A group of healthy monkeys were initially used for the test. All were injected with the polio disease, and half of those where treated with cobra venom as well. Suprisingly, all the untreated monkeys died of polio, but the ones injected with cobra venom survived. This led researchers and scientists to pursue further investigation to determine what extent would the venom help in humans. One of the leading pharmaceutical company at the time worked with the Miami Serpertium Lab to develop cobraoxin(highly purified cobra venom). One of the first successful victims of polio to be treated with cobra venom was Haast's nephew. He was diagnosed with polio at the age of 2, when he had paralysis spreading to his lower limbs. After the administration of cobra venom he soon had mobility of his legs.
The picture on the left was a symbolic statue, dedicated in honor of the Polio team. The lion is representing the polio virus with its paw on the cobra (representing the cure)
Picture above of Mary Katherine Quinn after recovering from Polio.
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Another victim affected by polio was Mary Katherine Quinn. She was diagnosed with acute anterior poliomyelitis polio, the most severe form of the disease that very few recover from. There was very little hope for her to stay alive. As a last method, the doctor administered cobra venom and the results were amazing. "I owe my life to you Mr. Haast, encouraging the doctors to use cobra venom as an aid to curing polio. I have no ill effects, and am thankful to the cobra venom to be alive." Haast wanted every polio victim to have the same type of recover as Mary had. Cobra venom was extremely helpful for polio patients. The experiments and administration of cobra venom was stopped in 1955 when the first vaccine for polio was released, Salk Polio Vaccine.
Tim Friede
Tim Friede has been known to inject himself with snake venom. His specialty is black mamba venom, which is a potent neurotoxin. Friede has a high resistant for the venom. He has been injecting himself at very young age, and has develop immunity to the snake.
Tim Friede
Tim Friede has been known to inject himself with snake venom. His specialty is black mamba venom, which is a potent neurotoxin. Friede has a high resistant for the venom. He has been injecting himself at very young age, and has develop immunity to the snake.
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In this video(up to 13:35) Friede demonstrate to everyone that he is immune to the venom. He injects himself with 40 mg of pure venom, a dose that would kill any normal human being. Some of the symptoms shown in a normal human being after being bitten by black mamba includes vomiting, massive swelling, fainting and even death, but Friede showed no symptoms proving his immunity against the venom. Friede showed only some local tenderness at the site of injection with vital signs within normal range. His goal is “ my long term plan is not about me anymore, my goal now is to save lives in the open world. If we can help develop a DNA vaccine, with the genes that make the venom and inject them into a human, it would be huge. 125,000 people die every year from a snake bite".
Friede has a YouTube Channel (Timfriede578) where he uploads videos of himself injecting multiple venoms. |