Venomous Viper Bites Man as He Tries to Make 'Snake Wine' On 6/1/21 at 10:57 AM EDT A man in eastern China suffered a near-fatal snakebite last week when he tried to catch a pit viper to make "snake wine." The 63-year-old, identified by his last name Yu, underwent several hours of emergency treatment that ultimately spared his arm and saved his life, according to a hospital report published May 27. Yu was admitted to Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, in Zhejiang province, following his encounter with the serpent, which happened in a neighbor's courtyard. 63-year-old snakebite victim Yu receives treatment at the Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Zhejiang, China, in May, 2021, after suffering a viper bite on his right arm.