Lighting 50-year-old fireworks

[displayfireworks1]

Does anyone know how these "Snakes" were made back in the day? I believe the composition is different now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqSEYlHI170

[PyroJoeNEPA]

Dave, Here is the old formula for the snakes or "serpents: Note it uses poisionous Mercury Compounds. Dragant is a binder made from a tree which can be substituted with gum arabic.
"Pharaoh Snakes"
Source: "Mengen en Roeren"[6], page 223
Comments: When lighted, this composition produces very voluminous snake-shaped ash. Mercury compounds are very poisonous, and extreme caution should be excercised during preparing and handling this composition. Wear gloves at all times, and use a fume hood.
Preparation: Instructions for making mercuric thiocyanate: 1) Dissolve 64 parts of mercuric nitrate in water, and separately dissolve 36 parts potassium thiocyanate in water. 2) Mix both solutions, and filtrate to collect the precipitate that forms upon mixing. 3) Rinse the collected precipitate 3 times with distilled water, and place it in a warm (not hot) place to dry.
Mercuric thiocyanate..............................100
Dragant........................................... 5
arabic gum binder.................................qs