Booze can save lives...

[Lachy]

Taken from the ABC news website at http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/10/2055520.htm
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Drinking marathon saves poisoned tourist

Posted 35 minutes ago
Updated 18 minutes ago

* Map: Mackay 4740

Mackay Base Hospital has successfully used alcoholic beverages to treat a 24-year-old Italian tourist who ingested litres of a poison commonly found in anti-freeze.

After running out of pharmaceutical-grade alcohol used to help stop the poison turning toxic in the stomach, staff of the north Queensland hospital had to give the man rounds of rum, scotch and vodka.

Dr Todd Fraser says while unconventional, the patient was given three standard drinks every hour for three days.

"Fortunately for him he was in a medically induced coma for a good portion of that," he said.

"By the time he woke up I think his hangover would have well and truly gone."

[Kevnlis]

I bet he woke up and wondered why his liver hurt so much

[James L]

I learnt that in biochemistry..

If your son/daughter ever drinks coolant thinking that its softdrink or cordial (because of the nice green colour), you are supposed to give them alcohol whilst waiting for the ambulance, because the same enzymes in the body used to break down alcohol (cytochrome P450) is used to break down foreign compounds in the body. but the enzymes breaks down the alcohol first which results in the dangerous compounds in the coolant (ethylene glycol) to pass right through the body without too much harm...

[Chris]

"But dad, I hate your beer!"

[Danis]

A friend told me about this today, and I was pretty skeptical... but here it is.

[ryan]

Sounds like a crock to me! If he was Italian, how come no mention of the sock stuffed down the front of the pants, or the pink Valiant Pacer with the fluffy dice on the rear vision mirror?