The Manly Carnival of 1920 was marred by a bizarre fatality. On Thursday 11th March 1920, showman Anthony Kimbel employed Teresa Caton (26) as a snake charmer in one of his sideshows on the ocean beach. Two snakes were delivered to Kimbel, a black snake and a tiger snake. He took hold of the black snake, and was promptly bitten, but he applied a ligature and his own antidote and felt no ill-effects afterwards. The following day Miss Caton picked up the tiger snake and put it round her neck. She was immediately bitten. A ligature was tied round her wrist and the antidote administered, but it was ineffective. Later that day she was admitted to Manly Cottage Hospital in Raglan Street, and she died there on Saturday 13th March.
At the coronial inquest, Mr Jamieson, the City Coroner, found that she had died from the effects of the bite of the tiger snake, and he warned that these reptiles should not be displayed in settings where they could come into contact with the public; he hoped that the police would take steps to protect the public from this sort of danger.
It is not known where Miss Caton was buried; it does not appear to have been in Manly Cemetery, and we have not found a death notice in the Sydney press.
At the coronial inquest, Mr Jamieson, the City Coroner, found that she had died from the effects of the bite of the tiger snake, and he warned that these reptiles should not be displayed in settings where they could come into contact with the public; he hoped that the police would take steps to protect the public from this sort of danger.
It is not known where Miss Caton was buried; it does not appear to have been in Manly Cemetery, and we have not found a death notice in the Sydney press.
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