Mirtschin, Peter

Peter Mirtschin runs Venom Supplies - a venom production company in the Barossa Valley of South Australia. The company farms about 500 snakes including deadly tiger snakes, brown snakes, death adders and inland taipans. Mirtschin and his staff milk the snakes themselves, freeze dry the venom and supply it to medical researchers and pharmaceutical companies throughout Australia and the world. Mirtschin taught himself how to extract venom by watching TV reports of people milking snakes and through lots of hands-on practice. He sensibly also took lessons in snake handling. With so many venomous snakes to milk, it is not surprising that Mirtschin has been bitten five times, needing antivenom on three occasions.