RUEGEN – A rare and deadly black adder claimed the life of a woman in Germany who had the presence of mind to call a doctor before lapsing into unconsciousness.

The 81-year-old woman on the Baltic island of Ruegen called the village doctor saying she was feeling faint after having just been bitten by a snake, which she had thrown into a rain barrel.

The physician arrived 15 minutes later to find her unconscious. Resuscitation efforts failed.

Hearing a hissing sound from the rain barrel, he cautiously peered in and saw a 70 centimetre snake, just as she had described it.

Herpetologists identified the reptile as a common black adder, the only poisonous snake in northern Europe.

DPA

Subject: German news