Venomous encounters Snakes, vivisection and scientific medicine in colonial Australia
Synopsis
How do we know which snakes are dangerous? This seemingly simple question caused constant concern for the white settlers who colonised Australia after 1788. Facing a multitude of serpents in the bush, their fields and their homes, colonists wanted to know which were the harmful species and what to do when bitten. But who could provide this expertise? Liberally illustrated with period images, Venomous Encounters argues that much of the knowledge about which snakes were deadly was created by observing snakebite in domesticated creatures, from dogs to cattle. Originally accidental, by the middle of the nineteenth century this process became deliberate. Doctors, naturalists and amateur antidote sellers all caused snakes to bite familiar creatures in order to demonstrate the effects of venom - and the often erratic impact of 'cures'. In exploring this culture of colonial vivisection, Venomous Encounters asks fundamental questions about human-animal relationships and the nature of modern medicine.Book details
- Series:
- Studies in Imperialism (Book 143)
- Author:
- Peter Hobbins
- ISBN:
- 9781526106278
- Related ISBNs:
- 9781526101440, 9781526106285, 9781526101440, 9781526106285, 9781526101440
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- Pages:
- 216
- Reading age:
- Not specified
- Includes images:
- No
- Date of addition:
- 2017-07-07
- Usage restrictions:
- Copyright
- Copyright date:
- 2017
- Copyright by:
- Manchester University
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Categories:
- Australiana, History, Medicine, Nonfiction