William Willimon tells this story...
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William Willimon tells this story, which he calls "one of the strangest and most haunting incidents" of his childhood.
The Field Museum in Chicago, where his father worked, had a small collection of live animals, as well as the stuffed and mounted ones on display. It happened that one of the herpetologists (that is, a scientist who works with snakes) on staff was working late in his office one night taking notes on some snakes the museum had just acquired. One was of particular interest, because no one had ever catalogued the species. Somehow, in the course of studying this snake, the herpetologist was bitten. He realized immediately that it was poisonous, and also knew that because the species was unknown, it was likely no known antivenom would be effective. The rest of the museum was deserted, except for a few guards on the main floor, far away from the office where this happened. The scientist quickly decided there was no point in calling for help. He returned to his desk and began writing, describing each symptom as he experienced it. The following morning, when other employees arrived, the herpetologist was slumped over his desk, dead. His notes told the story of what happened, and left a legacy for those who continued his work. The autopsy would provide information on how the poison worked, and suggest an appropriate antivenom. Others might be saved because he felt the full sting of the serpent.
The Field Museum in Chicago, where his father worked, had a small collection of live animals, as well as the stuffed and mounted ones on display. It happened that one of the herpetologists (that is, a scientist who works with snakes) on staff was working late in his office one night taking notes on some snakes the museum had just acquired. One was of particular interest, because no one had ever catalogued the species. Somehow, in the course of studying this snake, the herpetologist was bitten. He realized immediately that it was poisonous, and also knew that because the species was unknown, it was likely no known antivenom would be effective. The rest of the museum was deserted, except for a few guards on the main floor, far away from the office where this happened. The scientist quickly decided there was no point in calling for help. He returned to his desk and began writing, describing each symptom as he experienced it. The following morning, when other employees arrived, the herpetologist was slumped over his desk, dead. His notes told the story of what happened, and left a legacy for those who continued his work. The autopsy would provide information on how the poison worked, and suggest an appropriate antivenom. Others might be saved because he felt the full sting of the serpent.
