Tim Freide, 37, is one man who dares to do something that few could not even imagine doing – he subjects himself to self-inficted snakebites from some of the most poisonous reptiles in the world. The amateur scientist aims to build up his immunity against venom so that he can help researchers find a way to develop a safe vaccine.
Freide explains that his risky activities are part of venom immunotherapy and he has to take diluted injections of venom protein over time to fortify his immune system. Unfortunately his frequent dangerous endeavours have cost him his 20-year-old marriage. He also says that although the bites don’t hurt, they do leave a mark on his skin.
But this doesn’t mean that Freide has not had close-calls while doing his risky experiments. In 2011, he was left comatose for a while after getting two cobra bites, reports the Mirror. It’s mind-boggling that he has survived around 100 snakebites and venom injections for the past 16 years.
