Talk About A Hangover

I'll bet this guy will have a doozy. :) I think this was good thinking on
the hospital's part even though it's a bit strange.


Hospital Gives Man Drip-Feed of Vodka

Oct 10, 2007 08:37 AM EDT


BRISBANE, Australia - Doctors plugged an Italian tourist into a drip-feed of vodka to save him at a hospital in Australia that ran out of the medicinal alcohol it would normally have used for treatment.

The 24-year-old Italian, who was not further identified, was brought to Mackay Base Hospital in northeastern Queesland state and was diagnosed as having ingested a large quantity of ethylene glycol, a common ingredient of antifreeze that can cause renal failure.

Pure alcohol is often given in treating such cases because it can inhibit the toxic effects of ethylene glycol.

Mackay Base Hospital Dr. Pascal Gelperowicz said the man was given pharmaceutical-grade alcohol when he arrived, but that the hospital's supplies soon ran out.

"We quickly used all the available vials of 100 per cent alcohol and decided the next best way to get alcohol into the man's system was by feeding him spirits through a naso gastric tube," Dr. Gelperowicz said in a statement.

"The patient was drip-fed about three standard drinks an hour for three days in the intensive care unit," he said. "The hospital's administrators were also very understanding when we explained our reasons for buying a case of vodka."

The patient, was believed to have ingested the poison in an attempt at self-harm, made a successful recover. The incident occurred about two months ago, though the hospital just released information on the case.

(Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Oh hell talk about a 3 martini lunch LOL!!!

:D :D :D That does it. I'm moving to Auzzieland.

Actually Slick, that is the standard treatment worldwide for ethylene glycol poisoning, so you can do it right where you are :D

Drip feed VODKA??? Hell, I'm packing my suitcase and moving to Australia!! I hope they put lots of olive in the iv bag!! :p :rolleyes:

OK, as sad as this may sound, don't be mad at me! Some of my favorite cases at the emergency clinic are the pups who lick up antifreeze and need to get IV alcohol. Not only do they bounce back incredibly quickly, but they're sloshed to boot!

I love seeing critical cases bounce back, and I love silly dogs.

When I first saw the article, I kept thinging wow,3 drinks per hour for
3 days. :eek: I hope he doesn't have liver damage.