Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Friday 10 January 1936, page 12


BITTEN BY PYTHON.

Animal Trainer's Experience.

Mr. Leo Cracknell, an animal trainer em-ployed by Expeditionary Films, Ltd,, was at-tacked by a pj-thon yesterday.

Mr. Cracknell Is In charge of a number of large snakes which were brought from North Queensland to appear in scenes In the film "Uncivilised," which is being screened at Pagewood. At noon the pythons were taken from their hutch and placed In an enclosure for a sun bath. In the afternoon Mr. Crack-nell was attempting to return the snakes to their hutch, when one of them, 14ft In length, wrapped Itself around his left thigh and buried its teeth in his right wrist. He was taken to the Prince Henry Hospital and treated for nine punctured wounds on the wrist.

After treatment at the hospital, Mr. Crack-nell said that when the snake bit him he struck it violently with his free hand, which forced it to release its hold. With the assistance of one of the Palm Island aborigines, he was able to unloose the colls which had tightened around his thigh.

In spite of Mr. Cracknell's experience, Mr. Dennis Hoey, tile English actor, placed two of the pythons around his body last night, so that the photographing of the film could be

continued.