Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954), Saturday 12 August 1950, page 7


BUDDEN'S PARENTS TO VISIT GRAVE

SYDNEY. August 11.— A fund started for zoologist David Fleay, who "milked" the Cairns taipan, will allow the parents of Kevin Budden to visit Budden's grave in Cairns. Twenty-year-old Kevin Budden, of Coogee, Sydney, who captured the taipan in Cairns, died after he had been bitten by the snake. The courage of Mr. Fleay, who held the snake while its venom was extracted, prompted Mel-bourne people to start the fund. Mr. Fleay said he preferred that the money go to Budden's family. Mrs. Budden said in Sydney last night that she and her hus-band had not seen their son's grave in Cairns. At the rear of their home is a pen which Kevin kept his snakes. His life's ambition was to capture a taipan, she said. He knew the dangers but considered the value to science worth the risk. He died so that others might be saved from his fate "Mr Fleay's action was equally as brave and he deserves the highest credit. His action means that Kevin's sacrifice was not in vain," Mrs. Budden said. Scientists at the Common-wealth serum laboratories are confident that the taipan, which is the only one of its type in captivity, will produce the first antidote for deadly snake bites.