IT'S an exhibition about venom, fear and fascination, but it's not about the election and has no mention of politics.
It is about snakes, spiders and jelly fish and Australia's long history of pioneering research into antivenene.
The exhibition is being held at the University of Melbourne Medical History Museum and showcases a fascination dating back to ancient indigenous cultural practices.
It shows how far Australia has come since the days when European settlers thought it was a good idea to destroy bite wounds with a blast of gunpowder.
Australia is a world leader in developing antivenenes, says Professor Ian Gust, a former research and development director at the pioneering company bioCSL, which is a partner in the exhibition.
He says Australia has developed antivenenes for all five of its most poisonous snakes as well as the redback spider, the funnel-web spider and several sea creatures.
However, one of the most important breakthroughs was the development of the pressure bandage method of first aid which localises toxins and allows the body to start breaking them down.
Another important development was the indoor toilet. Redback spiders apparently liked to live under the seats of the outdoor versions.
The university's Australian venom research director, Kenneth Winkel, says despite effective first aid and antivenenes, there are still two to four snake-bite deaths a year.
There is always a risk when people enter the habitat of poisonous creatures, he says.
"We have to learn how to co-exist. The best antidote to the risk is education.
"People should know their creatures and know what to do to prevent stings and bites in the first place. They should also know how to do the first aid. That can save lives."
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