Thought this might have popped up by now, but I watched 'House' on TV this week and this guy (patient) had drunk photocopier fluid. Turns out House said that it was 90% methanol, so he shared a bottle of Scotch with the patient and declared that the booze, being predominantly ethanol, would nullify the methanol and the patient would piss the liquid out and be okay. Now I reckon that is a good excuse to have a bottle of Scotch always on hand, when working on your bio plant. Don't know how accurate the show is, but it works for me!

We have joked about this in the club before , Yes its true, confirmed by Dr. Karl Kruz?i?nesky. Ask Dr. Karl directly on the JJJ website. The proper medical treatment for methanol poisoning is administering ethanol, the best of which ,hic, is in 12 year old ,hic, Scotch or triple distiled ,hic, Polish or Russian Wodka.

Although I have heard the same thing, it must surely still have side effects. Otherwise you would have been able to drink methylated spirits when it was 85% ethanol and 1-2% methanol...

__________________

Plenty of people did, and for long periods. Have to admit, when I was a young sailor (R.A.N.) I did share a mug of metho and boot polish with an alcy back in the 60s, and it was bloody awful - nearly ripped my guts out.

Thing is that still only gives you 86 - 87%.

What is the other 13 - 14%. That's the problem.

You're right, that dihydrogen monoxide kills thousands of people every year.

yorta2 - I know people did/do it, but it isn't without consequences.

__________________

As part of a MSDS I prepared I had to include various first aid measures. Here's the quote for methanol ingestion to Physicians -

"Intravenous administration of an ethanol solution is an antidote for significant methanol ingestion. The blood alcohol level should be in the range of 1-1.5 mg/ml."

Frankly, I'd prefer it neat with a twist of lime.

There was something in the paper here a few weeks ago about a bloke they put into a coma for a few days while he was fed vodka or something through a drip. Don't remember exactly what it was for now.

What a bugger. Wake up a few days later with a mother of all hangovers and don't remember even the first drink

IIRC the comatose guy was poisoned with ethylene glycol and the doc doused him plenty with everything in his liquor cabinet (apparently it was the weekend and the shops were closed).Saved his sorry butt, but dunno if the guy had any permanent leftovers.
From the Oz press:
Doc raided cache for liquor drip - Unusual Tales - Specials - smh.com.au

__________________
-http://www.b100wh.com/b100family.html
7 engines on B100

-http://www.b100wh.com
My Reactor System

-http://www.blackcrownsoap.com
Biodiesel Glycerine Soap eBooks