Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Times
Wednesday, January 5, 1977, page 14 (of 23)
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times/guide
Wednesday, January 5, 1977 TIMES/GUIDE 21 times/guide entertainment
Where danger is a way of life and death is foiled by venom
By CLAIRE ORTALDA Staff Writer “Nothing is more delightful than to look at danger from a place of safety.” At the Miami Serpentarium, 12644 S. Dixie Highway, this motto is inscribed on the stage where owner Bill Haast handles deadly cobras with the greatest of ease, or so it seems. A veteran of over 100 snakebites, Haast demonstrates the care and feeding of cobras, kraits and coral snakes in five shows a day to Serpentarium visitors. With an assistant standing carefully out of range from poisonous fangs, Haast removes the snake from a glass covered cage, places it carefully on a catching table, then captures it barehanded. His presence arouses the snake’s defenses, which induces the snake to attack. Exactly Haast’s intent, because though his daily procedure makes for an exciting show, his real purpose is to extract the deadly venom. He places the snake’s mouth over a sterile collecting vial and the aroused snake bites through a rubberized dacron covering and releases a flow of amber colored venom. Ounce for ounce, this deadly amber fluid is worth more than gold. And the Miami Serpentarium is the largest venom production center in the world. The revenue from venom sales makes for large profits, which Haast funnels back into his research, which is his real interest. “There’s a tremendous potential in venom,” said Bill’s wife Clarita. “We’re making history here.” Products derived from snake venom can be used as an analgesic, or pain killer, for treatment of both terminal cancer and migraine headaches, without producing addiction or tolerance in a patient. Other products include an anticoagulant for the prevention of blood clot formation and an arthritis medication developed by Haast which is 80 per cent effective in arresting crippling deformation and relieving pain. Venom from the krait, a relative of the coral snake, is used in neurology, or nervous system, research, and possibly can be used in treatment of lukemia and muscular dystrophy. “There’s a stigma attached to the word snake in Christian culture,” said Clarita. “We’re held back by our own ignorance and fear. But the American Medical Association has used the cobra in their logo for years, symbolizing the art of healing.” Among Haast’s contributions in venom research is a method for separating the various factors in venom. “Originally, venom had to be used in its whole structure,” said Clarita. “Now we can divide it into components for testing.” One such experiment, in conjunction with the Atomic Energy Department of the University of Miami, is aimed at producing a radioactive venom, which, when injected into laboratory animals, can be traced to various organs. When traced, researchers will be able to determine the site of action in the body of various venom components, which can then be used in the treatment of disease. Haast was the first researcher to standardize venom by controlling diet. Snakes in captivity will not eat, so Haast developed a feeding gun with a tube which he inserts down the snake’s throat, after he extracts the venom. He feeds them his own formula which he perfected after 28 years of research. It’s a mixture of oatmeal, vitamins, eggs, meat and other ingredients which he force feeds the snakes in pre-measured amounts. Annually, the Miami Serpentarium produces and sells over 2 kilograms of dried venom, which Haast markets all over the world. Haast first broke ground for the Serpentarium in 1947. In 1948, the attraction opened with one snake pit. Now, the Serpentarium boasts a land turtle enclosure, a reptile pit with iguanas and an enclosed moat containing crocodiles, including the one-ton Cooky, who was the largest crocodile in captivity at 17 feet, before he bit off three feet of his tail. In addition, visitors have an opportunity to cuddle with a non-poisonous black indigo snake, file past Haast’s glassed-in research labs and, of course, watch the show. Bill Haast . . . holds cobra Prepares . . . to grab Reveals . . . the fangs
inside
The good, the bad and the ugly in film year, are chosen Page 22 Among other things, people are going to the dogs soon Page 24, 25 Don’t know where to eat tonight? Check restaurant guide Page 26