If pressed for time, a more simple method of operating is to hold the head of the snake in the left hand, with the mouth open and the lower jaw directed downwards. A watch-glass, capsule, or receptacle of some sort, such as a cup or plate, is then introduced by an assistant between the jaws, and, with the index finger and thumb of the right hand, the whole of the region occupied by the glands on each side of the upper jaw is forcibly compressed from behind forwards; the poison flows out by the fangs.
The extraction of the venom from living snakes is effected in the same manner. The animal being firmly held by the neck, as close as possible to the head, so that it cannot turn and bite; it can be made to eject the greater portion of the liquid contained in its two glands by compressing the latter with force from behind forwards, as one would squeeze out the juice from a quarter of an orange ([fig. 85]).
It is necessary to take care that the reptile cannot coil itself round furniture or other objects in the vicinity of the operator, for if this should happen there would be the greatest difficulty in making it let go, especially if dealing with a strong animal such as a Cobra, Rattle-Snake, or Fer-de-lance.
Snakes of the last-mentioned kind are especially difficult to manage. In order to avoid the risk of being bitten, it is always wise to begin by pinning down the head of the animal in a corner of its cage by means of a stick, and to seize it with a pair of long fenestrated tongs shaped like forceps. The operator then easily draws the reptile towards him and grasps it firmly by the neck with his left hand, always as close to the head as possible, at the same time raising the body quickly in order to prevent it from taking hold of anything. In this way the most powerful snake is perfectly under control.
Fig. 85.—Collecting Venom from a Lachesis at the Serotherapeutic Institute at São Paulo (Brazil).
Fig. 86.—Chloroforming a Cobra in order to Collect Venom, at the French Settlement of Pondicherry, in India (Stage I.).
At Pondicherry, where is collected the greater portion of the venom of Naja tripudians used by me for the vaccination of the horses that produce antivenomous serum, it is customary to chloroform the snakes in order to render them easier to manipulate.