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For nearly 30 years, London-based reptile enthusiast and musician Steve Ludwin has been injecting snake venom—a practice that has almost killed him.
It may now help save thousands of lives, as researchers search for a new antidote based on his body's response to the toxic fluids.
"It sounds very crazy what I am doing but it turns out that it potentially has lots of health benefits," Ludwin, the tattooed 51-year-old told AFP in the living room of his home in the British capital.
Ludwin demonstrated his decades-old habit by firmly holding the head of a green Pope's tree viper—Trimeresurus popeiorum—and extracting a few drops of its venom.
Minutes later, he has injected the fluid into his arm using a syringe.
The scientists hope to produce cheaper anti-venom from the antibodies in his blood.
[Please note that this is very dangerous and Mr. Ludwin has almost died a number of times. Don't try this at home! - Ed]
(Score: 2) by crafoo on Saturday November 11 2017, @06:28PM (3 children)
The pain and anticipation of the pain might help him get off. Or the danger. He might have gotten bitten once or got high and just tried it for the hell of it.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 11 2017, @06:32PM (1 child)
This sounds like wild speculation.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 11 2017, @07:19PM
Or more likely projection.
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Saturday November 11 2017, @08:25PM
Or he couldn't afford crack?
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex