A SNAKE CHARMER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2203, 29 May 1908, Page 3

A SNAKE CHARMER.

Sydney enjoyed a novel sensation the other day when a little man named Morrissey gave a series of demonstrations of snake-control in the public streets. Morrissey was apparently a very corpulent little man, but closer investigation showed that liis corpulence was for the most part due to half a dozen, venomous snakes conceded between bis shirt, and singlet. He had,, moreover, a few of tho reptiles crawling up liis arms, and one or two smaller ones coiled in his outside pockets. Morrissey made his first public appearance at the corner of Campbell and George Streets, and at once an- immense crowd collected. Taking a five foot snake from beneath his shirt he held the reptile at arm’s length, while it twisted and turned all the time. Allowing tho snake to encircle his arm, lie exposed liis wrist and the snake forthwith bit him. Several people shrieked and many ran away, but Morrissey was calm. Taking from liis pocket a small phial, containing his antidote, ho swallowed about an ounce. “That,” said he, addressing tho crowd, “is my famous antidote, which will cure the woret possible bite, even the deadly puncture of snakes whose poison will ordinarily kill a healthy man in live minutes.” After this demonstration Morrissey suddenly let loose on the road a couple of four feet to five feet snakes, .and lit once there was a general scatter. At this stage the police decided to interfere, but on seeing Morrissey with .snakes protruding from the sleeves, coat tails, and trousers, the constables, who had conic up briskly enough, seemed to take an interest in something else. Later on, however, they asked the oliarmer from a safe distance to move along. This lie . did, taking up his stand at another street corner. Hero again the police interrupted liis’lecture. In the evening Morrissey called at tbpoffice of the “(Sydney Morning Henild” and explained to a reporter,, whose nerves must have been strong, liow lie came to discover his antidote to snake-bite. He had heard that the goaiina was immune to snake poison and so experimented with goannas and snakes in an enclosure. He found that a goanna, when bitten. went off to look for some herbal antidote, chewed the. leaf and then licked the bitten, spot. After two years Morrissey found the herb and 16 now in a position to defy the most venomous snake in Australia.