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How long can a person live without water and food? How about babies?

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ohio_liberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:09 PM
Original message
How long can a person live without water and food? How about babies?
I know there are some people who know.

Even here in eastern Ohio, we are stunned. At this point I am sad to say that I think only the very strongest in that area will survive. Children, elderly, disabled, ill...how can they survive?
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havocmom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:11 PM
Response to Original message
1. Small kids will suffer kidney failure and brain damge pretty quickly
The rest is not pretty.
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ohio_liberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:12 PM
Response to Reply #1
4. Can you imagine holding your baby while it dies from dehydration?
God, I can't even wrap my brain around it. Just a drink of water. That's all.
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Bouncy Ball Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:17 PM
Response to Reply #4
14. It's already happened there and is happening now.
Babies and small children, the elderly and the sick can't go as long without hydration.

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ohio_liberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:19 PM
Response to Reply #14
16. Yeah I know
I know it's happening.
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Aunt Anti-bush Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:20 PM
Response to Reply #4
17. No and I can't fathom the fact that it's happening in our great country!
Let me rephrase that -- what USED TO BE our great country. I'm ashamed and disgusted and appalled by all of it. We should have already had EVERY ONE of those people to safe shelter by now, especially the young, the elderly and the sick. WTF is going on???

:mad:
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ohio_liberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:23 PM
Response to Reply #17
18. Did you hear
Edited on Thu Sep-01-05 09:23 PM by ohio_liberal
China evacuated 750,000 people yesterday from locations that were going to be hit by a Typhoon. The Chinese can evacuate people efficiently and the United States can't. Gawd Almighty. :(
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Why Syzygy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:36 PM
Response to Reply #18
23. That's because
chimpfest has to have a vacation and go on with his life, ya know.
Don't bother him with leadership issues. All he knows is cheerleading. HEY BOZO ! The Team is DOWN !
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Massacure Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:11 PM
Response to Original message
2. Three days without water. A couple weeks without food.
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ohio_liberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:13 PM
Response to Reply #2
7. yeah I understand that the lack of water will kill faster
Potassium imbalance or something like that, right?
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acmejack Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:16 PM
Response to Reply #2
11. 3 and 21 respectivelly
according to the US Navy.
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rox63 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:11 PM
Response to Original message
3. Lack of water is the killer
More than 5 days without is courting death. Maybe a little longer if you are strong and fit, and it isn't too hot. But we all know New Orleans in August is very hot.
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NYC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 01:26 AM
Response to Reply #3
24. I thought 5 days, but these people are sweating a lot.
It is extremely hot there. They are losing sweat, lots of it.

A long time ago, I read that a person could survive 5 days without water, but that didn't include the profuse sweating that 98 degrees and sitting in the hot sun would cause.

There is usually moisture in food, so if they have some food it may help with the lack of water.

There is no excuse for these people to go 5 days without water.
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G_j Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:12 PM
Response to Original message
5. I had to call a hospital once
about someone who was refusing to take water. I was told that after about four days the kidneys start to fail (very dangerous!)
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Horse with no Name Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:13 PM
Response to Original message
6. Adults can live up to approximately 3 days without water
however, the heat will factor in. Even worse if they drink salt water out of desperation.
Babies have almost 0 survival rate without water in a short period of time.
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gp Donating Member (645 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:13 PM
Response to Original message
8. it's already happening ...
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ohio_liberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:16 PM
Response to Reply #8
12. I know
:cry:
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charlie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:13 PM
Response to Original message
9. Did you see the distressed lady
they showed all day on CNN? She was freaking because her baby was getting to the point of no return. He was a lolling ragdoll, eyes shut, mouth open, completely slack. He might not be around anymore...
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ohio_liberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:17 PM
Response to Reply #9
15. I saw it
I cried when I saw that.
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Ilsa Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:16 PM
Response to Original message
10. The very young and the very old are the most at risk.
This is for disease, dehydration, etc.
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Anus Retainus Donating Member (227 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:16 PM
Response to Original message
13. A Penn & Teller episode said...
Survival is based on 3's:

You can survive:
3 minutes without air,
3 hours without heat,
3 days without water,
and 3 weeks without food.
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Fleshdancer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:28 PM
Response to Reply #13
20. That's a very good way to remember the info
thanks for posting it.
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uppityperson Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:27 PM
Response to Original message
19. Damage @3days with absolutely no water, means no food either
since all food contains some water (except for really dry food and even that contains a little water). 3 days you get kidney damage, figure 1-5 days to die depending on age and condition.

Food takes longer. They can live a couple weeks with no food and no long term damage (again, except for old, young, some health conditions).
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ohio_liberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:28 PM
Response to Reply #19
21. I wonder how many people are going to break down...
and drink the filthy water. I wonder how many people have already.
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NYC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 01:30 AM
Response to Reply #21
25. I'm sure they will.
As disgusting as it is, I'm sure they will. When the toxic sludge appears to be the only thing between you and death, it must seem worth a try. Like people drinking salt water, even when they know better.
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Greybnk48 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:30 PM
Response to Original message
22. 3-3-3 rule
3 minutes without air, 3 days without water, 3weeks without food. That's how I was taught--easy to remember. This of course varies to some degree for food and water depending on the current health status of the person. Babies/children dehydrate much more quickly.
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