DO FATAL SNAKEBITES OCCUR MORE DURING

A FULL MOON?
AN OBSERVATIONAL ANALYSIS.

Anil K. Batra
MD. LLB.

Associate Professor,

Ajay N. Keoliya
MD.

Professor & Head,

Department of Forensic Medicinc and Toxicology,

Shri. Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College &Hospital,

YAVATMAL, Maharashtra, INDIA- 445001.

Correspondence Address:
Dr. A.K. Batra,
F-3, Sudhant Vihar,
Opposite Date College,
Shivaji Nagar,Yavatmal (M.S.)
India 445001.

Phone No. +917232246173

+919822693694
Fax No. +91- 7232-244148

DO FATAL SNAKEBITES OCCUR MORE DURING

A FULL MOON?: AN OBSERVATIONAL ANALYSIS.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND The research on the effect of lunar phase on the behavior
of the livings has shown both positive and negative relationships.
It is reported that human and animal behaviour is altered during the full moon
period. A study has significantly correlated the full moon effects with
increased propensity of animals to bite. In Indian mythology too, it is believed
that the aged snakes are rejuvenated and they get fresh energy after a full moon
bath. The indigenous physicians treating the snakebite cases as a family tradition
claim that the snakebites to human beings are more during the full moon period.
These local healers often blame this fresh energy of the snakes as a cause of their
failures to save the victim in serious bite cases. This study has tried to find
whether actually fatal snake bites occur more at the time of full moon or not.
METHOD 125 consecutive fatal snakebite cases irrespective of age,
sex and type of snake responsible were reviewed by dates of bites. The fatal
bites in each month from 1997 to 2001 were compared with the lunar phase.
RESULTS 9 peak days with more than 4 fatal bites are observed,
when all fatal cases were spreaded in a lunar month, all unrelated to the full
moon period. When lunar month is divided into 10 periods, only 8% of fatal
snakebites occurred in the full moon period.
CONCLUSIONS Fatal snakebites do not occur more on full moons than
on any other day of the lunar months. Mass-awareness programmes may help to
encourage the snakebite victims to be immediately shifted to the medical center
instead of preferring the local and fatal unscientific treatment in rural parts of
the under developed countries like India.
KEY WORDS Full moon, snakebites, Lunar Phases, Lunar positions,
Lunar cycles, Lunar rhythms, Rural India.
INTRODUCTION
Roman mythology recognizes Luna, the goddess of the moon and a
belief that the power of the moon can cause human mind disorders1.The
positive as well as negative relations between the phases of moon and
human behaviour and personality are well documented. While crimes, crisis,
aggression, births and accidents are positively correlated; insanity, alcohol dose,
drug overdose, trauma and number of patients in emergency
departments are negatively correlated 7-11. More women have been
documented to menstruate around the full moon12, on one hand, with
increased suicidal tendencies around the menstruation13-15, on the other.
Similarly, weak associations have been reported between the full moon and
small increase in meal size8, unintentional poisoning 16, absenteeism17 and
aggression18. Research has failed to confirm any association between the full
moon and car accidents10, consultations for anxiety or depression in general
practice19, suicide and self-poisoning 20-21,agitation among nursing home
residents22 and major trauma23.
In Indian mythology, the day of the full moon is a day for special
prayers and fast for bringing then peace and prosperity by driving away
misfortune and evil. Many Indian festivals coincide with a full moon day. It
Is believed since ancient times in India that moon is the controller of the
human mind and the horoscopes are prepared depending on the position of
the moon. It is believed that aged snakes get fresh energy and are
rejuvenated after a full moon bath. Many more mythological stories deal
with snakes and full moon relations, which are propagated more by local
indigenous physicians treating the snakebite cases as a family tradition,
specially in the rural parts of the country. They not only claim that the snakebite
to human beings are increased during the full moon but also that the toxicity of
venom is increased many folds. This deep-rooted story in the minds and beliefs
of the rural population appears to be a face-saving solution for these local
healers, as they often blame the fresh energy of the snakes due to full moon as a
cause of their failures when the victims succumb.
In the studies related to animal bites (dog, cat, rat and horse), in one
24
study , the incidence of animal bites in the time of full moon was
significantly higher than the incidence in the other periods of lunar cycle
(p<0.001) and in the other25, full moon days were associated with slightly
lower mean admissions (4.6 compared with 4.8 per days) due to dog bite.
Although the setting in the present study is from India, a nation described25
as devoted to astrology, study aimed to determine, if any patter exists for
fatal snake bites to human during a full moon, merely because, we know
about increased incidence in snakebites in peculiar season, climate and time
of the day, but we are not aware of any correlation in the literature about
association between full moon and snakebites.

METHODS

Data were collected about victims of fatal snakebites, on whom the

medicolegal autopsies were performed at Shri Vasantrao Naik Government
Medical College and Hospital, Yavatmal (MS) India, from 1st January 1997 to
31st December 2001. Mortuary and autopsy records of total 125 victims were
studied for are, sex, time, and date of the alleged snakebite. The mortuary data
is reliable and dependable as police department is legally bound to arrange the
medicolegal autopsies in India, in all cases which are unnatural, suspicious or
where cause of death is not known. The actual time and date of the bite was
taken into account, rather than time and date of the death or autopsy, as delayed
death had occurred in a few cases. Initially the total number of victims in each
calendar month during the period of five years was calculated and then the cases
were distributed according to the dates of lunar months. All the 125 cases were
distributed into 10 period of a lunar month, first nine periods having three dates
each and tenth having only two dates, as a lunar month comprises of 29.531
days.

RESULTS

There were total 59 full moon days and three blue moon days (see box
and table 1) from 1st January 1997 to 31st December 2001. In all, 125
victims died of snakebites during the period (82 males and 43 females) with
monthly average of 2.08 fatal snakebite cases with a range from none
case to maximum 6 cases in a calendar month. Table 1 shows the full moon
and blue moon dates for each month along with the dates on which fatal
snakebites occurred over a period of five years. Figure 1 shows 9 peak days
(more than 4 deaths.) Full moon does not coincide with any of these peaks
days. Maximum 10 bites have occurred on 8th day from full moon day and 9
bites on 17th day. Table 2 show that only 10 deaths (8%) have occurred in a
fifth period of full moon. The highest fatal bites (15.2%) have occurred in
the seventh period, which comprises of 5th to 7th day from full moon day.
Least fatal bites have occurred in the 10th period (14-15th day) not due to
effect of no moon but due to a reason that this period comprised of
only two dates of lunar month.

DISCUSSION

From the study, it is evident that no positive correlation exists

between the full moon and fatal snakebites in India. Various studies have
reported the association of snakebites with rainy season26, climate27, time of the
day and habitat of the snakes28. From the present study it may be
concluded that snakes do not have increased propensity to bite humans
fatally during the full moon periods. Even if the snakes are rejuvenated and
get fresh energy after a full moon bath; it is not for causing increased human
fatalities. Hence, the maximum caution and care should be exercised to avoid
snakebites irrespective of full moon, no moon, half moon, day, night, Diwali,
Christmas or New Year. After all, the snakebite is a preventable non-random
event and can be prevented by minimum precautions like wearing high shoes,
hand gloves, protective clothing, avoiding high grasses and by not placing your
hand or foot anywhere without looking first, specially so in agricultural and
rural parts of the world. Apart from all these preventive measures, mass
awareness programmes also need to focus on the Facts of no relationship
whatsoever, between snakebites and full moon periods. It may help in
immediate shifting of the unfortunate victims of the Snakebites to nearest
medical units, especially so in rural parts of the underdeveloped countries like
India.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We acknowledge the invaluable and time-to-time guidance of Dr.
A.C. Mohanty, Dean Terna Medical College, Nerul, New Mumbai – 76 and
Dr. A.P. Dongre, Prof. & Head, and we thank Dr. S.S. Gupta, Dr. H.V.
Godbole, Dr. A.G. Wankhede, Dr. V.N. Ambade, Dr. M.B. Shrigiriwar and
Dr. S.L. Khandekar for helping provide the data and Shri R. A. Mohod for
secretarial assistance.
CONTRIBUTORS
AKB, the investigator, initiated the study, collected the data,
documented and designed the study, reviewed the literature and wrote the paper,
and ANK analyzed and edited the article, both without any special funding and
competing interest. WORD COUNT About 2451.
Box: Lunar definitions

Full moon:
The Phase of the moon in which it is fully illuminated as seen from the earth.
It is defined as three-day period in the 29.531 –day lunar cycle, with the middle day
generally described as the day of the full moon.
Lunation:
The time between two successive new moons. This varies, but the
approximate time is 29.530589 days (synodic period of the moon).
New moon:
The phase of the moon when it is first visible as seen from the Earth.
Blue Moon:
Sometimes two full moons occur in one month then second full moon in that
month is called a blue moon.

Table 1: Full moon and fatal bites in each calendar month over a period of
five years 1997 – 2001 (FM date = Full moon date).
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Total
Month FM Bite FM Bite FM Bite FM Bite FM Bite fatal bites

date dates date dates date dates date dates date dates in month

Jan 23 - 12 27 2,31 7 21 29 9 15 04
11,18
Feb 22 - 11 - 5,26 19 29 8 24 08
24,28
 10,14,
Mar 24 31 13 26 2,31 19, 30 20 9 - 08
14,17
6, 20,
Apr 22 - 11 - 30 17 18 8 25 06
21,26

3,4,5, 16,19, 9,12,

May 22 25 11 16 30 18 7 15
12, 13 20,27 24,30
9,10,17 15,20,
Jun 20 10 14,25 28 16 9 6 11,13 14
,28,28 21,25
15,16,
6, 23,
Jul 20 17 9 21,26, 28 16 29 5 18,26 13
24
27, 29
12,15, 12, 13,
Aug 18 12, 14 8 26 3,22 15 1,12 4 12
16 18
17,25, 6, 9, 8,9,
Sep 16 9 6 25 13 1 2 13
26, 26 13,26 26
4,11, 4, 5,
3,4,6,
Oct 16 5,15 5 13,22 24 3 13 2 10, 13 20
9,10
23, 28 17,28
1, 1,7
Nov 14 - 4 9, 15 23 25 11 14 07
30 12

Dec 14 8,23 3 3 22 7,7 11 - 30 - 05

Total
bites
- 15 - 31 - 28 - 25 - 26 125
in a
year

Table 2: Number of fatal Snakebite cases (n=125) according to 10

period of the lunar cycle.

Period 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10*

Lunar 28- FMD- 11-

16-18 19-21 22-24 25-27 2-4 5-7 8-10 14-15
Days 1 13
No of
fatal
16 11 10 14 10 13 19 14 11 07
snakebite
cases
Percent 12.8 08.8 08.0 11.2 08.0 10.4 15.2 11.2 08.8 05.6
 • 10th period consisting of two days only.

Figure 1: No. of fatal Snakebite cases according to day of Lunar month.

12

10
No. of fatal bite cases

0
23rd
15th

17th

19th

25th

27th

11th

13th
3rd
21st

5th

7th

9th
1st

Day of Lunar Month

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