THE NEW YORK HERALD, PARIS, SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 1933
Carnegie Snake Authority
Talks Tomorrow in Paris
j
Paris scientific authorities this week
will hear results of 16 years of ex¬
periments by an American inquirer in
a branch of medical science never
studied by any other man—the patholo
gical relations between snakes and hu¬
mans.
This unique scientist is Francis G.
Benedict, of the Carnegie Institute,
who lias concluded his researches with
contributions regarded by medical men
as being of fundamental value.
He has been lecturing on the subject
in the chief European universities. To-
Professor Benedict when seen last even¬
ing. That is the Carnegie Institute’s
research establishment in Vila street,
Boston, where the scientist and his
assistants have conducted dangerous ex¬
periments on boa constrictors, pythons,
rattlesnakes and other serpents for the
advancement of medicine.
While remarking that ‘‘only ex¬
haustive scientific dissertation” could
explain results of the highly complex
experiments, Professor Benedict stated
that his long study disclosed “important
indications for metabolism research,”
aiding medical science in its under¬
standing of human pathology.
One of the most significant results
of his researches was comparative ex¬
periments in which the temperatures
of ordinarily cold-blooded snakes were
raised to human fever degrees. With
the aid of Dr. Raymond Ditmars, New
York Zoo curator, rare specimens of
serpents approximating human beings
in weight were obtained for study. Fre¬
quently, Dr. Benedict and his assistants
were in danger during their work
Speaking a layman’s language, Profes¬
sor Benedict pointed out:—
“There’s no truth in the Bible’s asser¬
tion as to the wisdom of the serpent,
file snake is probably the dumbest of j
God s creatures. But study of its eu-1
nous and obscure relationship to the
internal changes of the human body
has given us fundamental aid in our
knowledge of man’s physical being.”
Snakes are good to eat—for some
people, the scientist stated. “The Aus¬
tralian bushman, who has a hard time
finding sustenance, eats snake-meat
with relish. It agrees with him and
provides him with almost the only pro¬
tein in his diet.”
Francis G. Benedict.
morrow at 4 p.m. he will speak at the
Faculté de Médecine and February 7
at 8.30 p.m. at the Collège de France.
A story of one of the most curious
laboratories in existence was told by