Severed Snake Head Kills Chef Cooking Cobra Soup Chinese chef Peng Fan died after the severed head of a spitting cobra bit him 20 minutes after being cut off By Aaron Akinyemi August 23, 2014 A chef cooking a soup dish from cobra flesh died in China after he was bitten by the snake's head – 20 minutes after it was cut off. Peng Fan was preparing the rare Asian delicacy from the Indochinese spitting cobra when the snake's severed head bit him with venom as he was throwing it into the bin, The Mirror reported. Peng died before he could be treated in hospital with life-saving anti-venom, police said. "It is a highly unusual case, but it appears to be just an accident," a police spokesman said. "He prepared the snake himself and was just unlucky. "There was nothing that could be done to save the man. Only the anti-venom could have helped, but this was not given in time. It was just a tragic accident." Diners who were eating in the restaurant at the time of the incident described screams coming from the kitchen. Lin Sun, 44, who was dining with his wife Su said: "We were in the restaurant having a meal for my wife's birthday when suddenly there was a lot of commotion. "We did not know what was happening but could hear screams coming from the kitchen. There were calls for a doctor in the restaurant but unfortunately by the time medical assistance arrived, the man had already died. After we heard that we did not continue with our meal." According to snake expert Yang Hong-Chang, all reptiles can function for up to an hour after losing their body parts. "It is perfectly possible that the head remained alive and bit Peng's hand," he said. "By the time a snake has lost its head, it's effectively dead, as basic body functions have ceased, but there is still some reflexive action. "It means snakes have the capability of biting and injecting venom even after the head has been severed."
I just thought this would be an appropriate Public Service Announcement, in case any FHC members are cooking rattlesnake stew over the fire this weekend. Can't be too careful when consuming venomous snakes these days.
Amazing! I would have never thought twice. We think human when a head is severed, even with animals. Nobody thinks that reptiles could survive a little longer after that happens. Ouch! the poor chef should have tossed the head right after he cut it off. He didn't know
Yes, it is best to bury the head deep enough that even animals can't dig it up. Python stew is much tastier, and tender.
During the French Revolution, they would hold up the heads of notorious victims of the guillotine. To see why, read this account from New Scientist, The Last Word, 16 December 2000, http://flatrock.org.nz/topics/prisons/methods_of_capital_punishment.htm
I ate plenty of "mystery meat" on mission trips to Haiti, and I had Cajun alligator in New Orleans, but to my knowledge I've never had python.
