Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute main building

The Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute (QSMI) ( th, สถานเสาวภา; ) in

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

, is an

institute An institute is an organisational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations (research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body. In some countries, institutes can ...

that specialises in the

husbandry Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...

of venomous

snakes Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more joi ...

, the extraction and

research Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...

snake venom Snake venom is a highly toxic saliva containing zootoxins that facilitates in the immobilization and digestion of prey. This also provides defense against threats. Snake venom is injected by unique fangs during a bite, whereas some species are a ...

, and vaccines, especially

rabies vaccine The rabies vaccine is a vaccine used to prevent rabies. There are a number of rabies vaccines available that are both safe and effective. They can be used to prevent rabies before, and, for a period of time, after exposure to the rabies virus, ...

. It houses the

snake farm A snake farm is a facility that houses and breeds a wide variety of snakes, often for the purpose of research and the collection of venom for the creation of antivenom. Many snake farms are primarily tourist attractions. Notable snake farms exist ...

, a popular tourist attraction. The origins of the institute can be traced back to 1912 when

King Rama VI Vajiravudh ( th, วชิราวุธ, , 1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth monarch of Siam under the Chakri dynasty as Rama VI. He ruled from 23 October 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his effort ...

granted permission for a government institute to manufacture and distribute

rabies Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. These symptoms are followed by one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, vi ...

vaccine at the suggestion of

Prince Damrong Prince Tisavarakumarn, the Prince Damrong Rajanubhab (Thai language, Thai: ; Full transcription is "Somdet Phrachao Borommawongthoe Phra-ongchao Ditsawarakuman Kromphraya Damrongrachanuphap" (สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมว� ...

, whose daughter, , died from rabies infection. It was officially opened on 26 October 1913 in the Luang Building on Bamrung Muang Road as the ''Pastura Institute'' after

Louis Pasteur Louis Pasteur (, ; 27 December 1822 – 28 September 1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation and pasteurization, the latter of which was named afte ...

, who discovered the first vaccine against rabies. In 1917 it was renamed the ''Pasteur Institute'' and placed under the supervision of the

Thai Red Cross Society The Thai Red Cross Society ( th, สภากาชาดไทย; ) is a major humanitarian organisation in Thailand, providing services as part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was founded in 1893 and is h ...

. The institute also produced vaccine against

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...

. The Travel and Immunization Clinic is now located here. If offers vaccines and pre-travel consultation. In the early-1920s the king offered his private property for the construction of a new home for the institute on Rama IV Road. The new buildings were officially opened on 7 December 1922, now named for the king's mother, Queen Saovabha Phongsri. At the same time, the institute's first director, Dr. Leopold Robert, requested contributions from foreigners living in Thailand for the establishment of a snake farm, which would enable the institute to manufacture

antivenom Antivenom, also known as antivenin, venom antiserum, and antivenom immunoglobulin, is a specific treatment for envenomation. It is composed of antibodies and used to treat certain venomous bites and stings. Antivenoms are recommended only if th ...

for snake bites. Reportedly the second snake farm in the world after

Instituto Butantan Instituto Butantan (in modern Portuguese, Instituto Butantã, ) is a Brazilian biologic research center located in Butantã, in the western part of the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Instituto Butantan is a public institution affiliated with the S� ...

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...

, Brazil, it was opened on 22 November 1923 by

Queen Savang Vadhana Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mothe ...

, then President of the Thai Red Cross, on the institute's premises.http://saovabha.redcross.or.th/download/2558/R2558_062558_P6.PDF Research into snake venom is highly important, since many people fall victim to venomous snake bites. Normally only an

antidote An antidote is a substance that can counteract a form of poisoning. The term ultimately derives from the Greek term φάρμακον ἀντίδοτον ''(pharmakon) antidoton'', "(medicine) given as a remedy". Antidotes for anticoagulants are s ...

that is based from the same snake's venom can save the individual's life. The snake farm houses thousands of some of the most venomous snakes in the world, such as the king cobra and all sorts of

viper The Viperidae (vipers) are a family of snakes found in most parts of the world, except for Antarctica, Australia, Hawaii, Madagascar, and various other isolated islands. They are venomous and have long (relative to non-vipers), hinged fangs tha ...

s. Visitors can see handlers interact with

python Python may refer to: Snakes * Pythonidae, a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia ** ''Python'' (genus), a genus of Pythonidae found in Africa and Asia * Python (mythology), a mythical serpent Computing * Python (pro ...

s, and venom extractions can be seen. There is also a museum, and lectures are given. The QSMI and the snake farm are near

Chulalongkorn Hospital King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH, th, โรงพยาบาลจุฬาลงกรณ์; ) is a public general and tertiary referral hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. It is operated by the Thai Red Cross Society, and serves as the ...

, on the corner of

Henri Dunant Road Henri is an Estonian, Finnish, French, German and Luxembourgish form of the masculine given name Henry. People with this given name ; French noblemen :'' See the ' List of rulers named Henry' for Kings of France named Henri.'' * Henri I de Mont ...

and Rama IV Road.

References

External links

FactZoo.com , Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute's Visitors Brochure

Thai Red Cross , Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute

* Queen Saovapha Memorial Institute(includes details of institute's work)
Blurrytravel.com , Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute
(includes photos)

(includes photos)

(includes reviews and photos) {{authority control Herpetology organizations Toxicology organizations Research institutes in Thailand Tourist attractions in Bangkok Biological research institutes Museums in Bangkok Thai Red Cross Society Unregistered ancient monuments in Bangkok Pathum Wan district