In the Snake Pits of Siam

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1046, 9 August 1930, Page 18

In the Snake Pits of Siam

T will surprise you to know that in Siam there are some 500 lively specimens of the most deadly reptiles feared by man who are leading

well-ordered and useful lives in the heart of the most exclusive residential district of the city of Bangkok (writes Dorothy Brandon for the Toronto “Star”). When these snakes misbehave, which is often, they are firmly kicked, prodded and shoved by the stout boot of one Nai Liam Suttram. Up and down the world it is doubtful if he has an equal among zoo or institutional keepers of reptiles or even snake-charmers. Nai Liam is unique among his fellows. Among the varieties included in the large group of snakes that are dominated by this truly remarkable fellow are king cobras, huge 12 and 14-foot

coiling lengths of deadliness; black-and-yellow-branded kraits, cobras de Capello, the small, grey, hooded type; Russell's vipers, medium-sized with black and white markings in bands of sand mottlings; the much-feared browu and white sea snakes and the small green grass vipers. Let the fangs of any of these clamp into flesh and certain death will result if no antitoxin is available. Yet Nai Liam walks nonchalantly in their midst and makes them obey his rigorous commands. These writhing creatures make their homes in immaculate concrete pits that have steep, slick sides. Deep canals separate the little white-domed houses and grass-covered plots from the confining walls. These living arrangements are perfect from a scientific standpoint, for the snake farm is one of the most important units of the Pasteur Institute, which is one of the most modern organisations in the entire kingdom of Siam. Siam, in common with most countries situated in the tropical portion of the Far East, is noted for its deathdealing reptiles. The specimens confined in the pits are typical of the countless thousands ot snakes that freely slither through the coastal waters. The Intrepid Nai Liam But the mortality from snakebites is diminishing in Siam. The Pasteur Institute now widely distributes large quantities of live-saving serum in the remote country districts, where it is dispensed among all classes of people. And because Nai Liam is known far and wide as the man who cares for the snakes giving the monthly yield of poison that is used for purposes, he is regarded in almost a legendary fashion by the more ignorant petmle who have heard of his work. The Government wisely fosters this interest in one of its lesser servants and, as a consequence, is able to win innumerable converts to the modern system of inoculation.

All sorts of people gather around the snake pits and peer fearsomely at the hissing monsters below. If the day should chance to be the first Thursday in the month, the crowd is very dense, because it is then that the poison is taken. Nai Liam plays his part to perfection and never fails to win the approval of the onlookers. Promptly at 10 o’clock on the morning of the day the poison is to be taken a thickly-set Siamese, well covered, by a white surgical gown, steps smartly down the gravel walk from the main building. He carries a small black box not unlike a doctor’s satchel, but without a handle. In his wake follows a coolie bearing a small white table. The Siamese, who is Lieutenant Sa-ard Indhamronga, army veterinary surgeon, reaches the stout wooden gate of the first pit. He glances about and stands with arms akimbo. From somewhere in the general

The Marvellous Feats of Nai Liam ... A National Hero Who Snaps His Fingers at Cobras . . .

j The lift. King Cobra is being h‘ I'l by Nai Liam while the veterinary surgeon I catches its venom on a small glass plate. direction of the stables a tall, strongly-built man, who also wears a white surgical gown, ambles across the grass. His head is thrust forward and his eyes riveted on the grass and his jaw’s are w-orking vigorously on betelnut. He carries a long pronged stick. This is Nai Liam Suttram about to begin his day’s work.

Approaching the officer, he salutes smartly and quickly unlocks the gate ancl low-ers the steep stairs. Taking the table from the coolie, he descends disinterestedly to the pavement below’. Without so much as a glance at the gliding form of a king cobra, less than six feet from the toe of his boot, he carefully sets up the fable and, turning his back on the weaving snake goes up the stairs to receive the back box from his superior. This he places on the table, unlatches it and removes several glass plates that are convex in shape. The lieutenant gathers the skirt of his white gown about him and enters the pit with due caution. Extracting the Poison While he is carefully taking up his position beside the table, Nai Liam walks over to a domed residence and upturns it, thereby disturbing a sleepy king cobra. As the great length of the creature quickly uncoils, Nai Liam stoops and picks up his pronged stick. With a jabbing thrust he secures a hold just behind the flat evil head. Reaching down with his right hand, he grips the snake just back of the prongs that pin it down; then, discarding the stick, reaches about three-quarters of the way down the twisting body and seizes this portion with ji is left hand. Huge, muscular hands has Nai Liam, and arms of iron strength. Effortlessly he takes the wriggling fourteen feet of active cobra over to the doctor. By using the thumb and first finger of his right hand, he forces the snake’s mouth agape. The doctor slips one of the glass plates into the cavity, and watches intently as an oily yellow substance trickles on to the transparent dish. No word is spoken. Only the sound of the cobra’s fangs gnashing against the glass. The crowd watches with breathless intensity. When several teaspoonfuls of venom have been extracted from the snake, Nai Liam and the doctor pry its fangs loose by twisting the plate -and pressing the jaws. When the plate is released, the doctor steps back, and Nai Liam flings the big grey body back into the water. Then he reaches down and sloshes his hands of the chance that some of the venom might have oozed on to his fingers. So begin two hours of exacting toil. In the first pit seven king cobras and >as many sea snakes drip

I mount the stairs and the gate, h 'ocked. ’ **4When Nai Liam enters the seen-,. | >it, which contains more than v•obras, he is at his best. Not or do his jaws stop working on the bet'' nut plug that distends his jaw Bet? nut, as you probably know, j a red when chewed. His lips look Hvl an ugly, palpitating wound. This cobra pit appears to be ainhabited until the keeper—or shoevi he be called tamer?—tilts back 1 white dome. From a grey mass 0 f coils, dozens of darting heads etr - terrifying hisses. Nai Liam breeehis pronged stick against his thiri and with one mighty shove transfer, i the writhing mound of cobras firo 1 the canal. With his grinding w ! thrust forward, he watches tbe bobj bing flat heads and undulating bodie? As soon as a few quit the waterThl’ makes a rapid survey of their fitne*. then quickly pins a lashing body to the pavement with his stick. Once his right hand gains a grip above tte distended hood, he drops the stiefc and, using his left hand to sabdoe the five feet of writhing vicionsne*. he takes the specimen over to tie doctor, who stands conveniently close to the stairs. Cobra after cobra is captured and forced to give its dole. When a htm- | dred or more have been used and the j crowd is growing restive, Nai Liar; : takes the doctor’s glass plates and white table up to the walk and then returns to the pit. which seethes with hissing snakes. One large cobra detaches itself from the others and glides across Nai Liam’s boots. H* picks up the snake and playfully hurl? it a few feet from him. The grey demon promptly raises half its body, blows out its hood and starts swaying back and forth in the best-approTcd i cobra fashion. Hundreds of Lives Saved 1 Before the fascinated gaze of the j crowd Nai Liam repeats his little act with another snake. When the pair . are swaying and bobbing and to ail intents and purposes acting in as happy a mood as it is possible for cobras to assume, he walks over and scratches first one and then the other in the general location of the white j eye-shaped marking on the hood. The snakes respond by swaying faster. The crowd cheers. Nai Liam continues to chew his betelnuL By way of farewell he snaps his fingers at the performing cobras, gives several that are hissing underfoot a swipe with the side of his boot and, grinning broadly, rejoins the doctor on the upper walk. Is he ever bitten? The answer is, not lately. Major Luang Charanya, head of the Pasteur Institute, explains why: “Nai Liam has been here ever since the institution was opened ten years ago,” the major remarks with a smile. "From the first he showed particular aptitude in snake-handling. He is quick, fearless and strong. For a number of years he was very careless: scarcely a week passed without injections being necessary. He must have been bitten well over a hundred times. While we knew that by then' he was virtually immune, we had to exercise due precaution and give him injections. “One day I called him in and told him that in the future he would hare to pay for his serum if he averaged more than three a year. This made him more careful and It has been a ; long time since he has been attacked. How he can manage the snakes as he i does without being bitten we do not know, nor can outsiders comprehend his behaviour. Scientists visit ns from all parts of the world and are as deeply mystified over his capable snake-handling as the most simpleminded coolie. Last year in Bangkok alone 534 persons were saved from agonising deaths j by the serums derived from the snakes •under Nai Liam’s care. It is therefor easy to understand why so many people revere this man who makes the life-saving serums so easily accessible.