NYT/Reuters: Wave of Alcohol Poisoning Kills Dozens Across Russia

[DeepModem Mom]

Wave of Alcohol Poisoning Kills Dozens Across Russia
By REUTERS
Published: October 28, 2006

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Dozens of Russians have died and more than 1,000 received hospital treatment in a wave of alcohol poisoning that is sweeping the country, Russian authorities said on Saturday.

Alcoholism, coupled with poisoning by low-quality and bootleg liquor, remains one of post-Soviet Russia's most serious problems and contributes to a life expectancy for men of only 59 years.

One northwest region near the Baltic Sea, Pskov, imposed a state of emergency this month to tackle alcohol-related problems, mostly involving hepatitis and other liver diseases....

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Russian television has shown pictures of patients, many of them with yellow-tinged skin, undergoing treatment in hospitals. TV stations have quoted doctors as saying sufferers often sought help too late....

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Living standards have improved in recent years, boosted by oil revenues, and average monthly salaries are the equivalent of $400. But residents of villages and small towns, where unemployment is high, earn considerably less.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-russia-alcohol.html

[whistle]

1. Flash-back to the days of prohabition and toxic bathtub gin made

...with poisonous wood alcohol. It totally destroys the liver, kidneys and other vital organs. Alcohol poisoning from excessive binge drinking can also be fatal, but is different:

<snip>
What is alcohol poisoning? How do you know if someone has alcohol poisoning?
- Donna / No state given

Mayo Clinic general health specialist Kenneth Berge, M.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.

Answer
Alcohol poisoning is a serious — sometimes deadly — result of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol (ethanol). Binge drinking can lead to alcohol poisoning. The effects of alcohol depend on the concentration of alcohol in your blood (blood alcohol level). Factors that affect your blood alcohol level include:

How strong the alcohol is
How quickly you drink it
How much food is in your stomach at the time you drink it

Signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:

Confusion
Vomiting
Seizures
Slow or irregular breathing
Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
Unconsciousness ("passing out")

Alcohol is a stomach irritant and may cause vomiting. It also affects your central nervous system — slowing your breathing, heart rate and gag reflex. This increases the risk of choking on vomit if you're passed out from excessive drinking. If you suspect that someone has alcohol poisoning, seek immediate medical care. Blood alcohol level continues to rise even after the person has passed out.

Alcohol can also be harmful in smaller amounts if you use it in combination with:

Sedatives
Tranquilizers
Narcotic pain medications
Certain anti-seizure medications, such as phenobarbital

Now, toxic alcohol poisoning is a different scenario:

Toxic Alcohols

Clinical description
Ingestion of toxic alcohols (methanol, ethylene glycol, or other glycols) might result in symptoms similar to those of ethanol inebriation (vomiting, lethargy, or coma). A high anion gap metabolic acidosis is common. Renal failure is common after ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol toxicity, whereas optic neuritis and visual impairment are unique to methanol toxicity (1-4).

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/toxicalcohols/casedef.asp

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Thank you for this info, whistle!

[Mnemosyne]

3. Another reason to

legalize pot.

How sad that peopel need a drink that badly.