In 1957 at The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Karl P. Schmidt, famed snake expert and herpetologist, made a detailed scientific account of the effect of venom from a snakebite in the human body—his body. Schmidt made the record while he was dying. The newspapers called his notes a “death diary.”

Credits Directed, Produced, Edited, and filmed by Tom McNamara

Illustration by Greg Mercer

Narrated by Tom McNamara

Voices by

Charles Bergquist as Karl P. Schmidt

Luke Groskin as The Physician

Music by Audio Network

Wellcome Library Moving Image Collection

Archival material provided by

Archives, The Field Museum

Library, The Field Museum

Poisonous Snakes Of The World: A Manual For Use By The U.S. Amphibious Forces

Prelinger Archives

The Snakes Of South Africa: Their Venom And The Treatment Of Snake Bite

Wellcome Library Moving Image Collection

Thank You To

Division of Amphibians and Reptiles, The Field Museum

Exhibitions, The Field Museum

The Field Museum

Rachel Grill (snake handler)

Dr. Robert Inger

Photography Department, The Field Museum

Alan Resetar