Buzz
Alcohol is frequently criticized, often due to the high number of accidents involving drunk drivers or individuals imprisoned for crimes committed under its influence.
Despite its negative reputation, alcohol has also demonstrated life-saving potential. In numerous cases, vodka, whiskey, or beer has been used to treat medical emergencies. One remarkable example involves a vodka bottle cork that played a crucial role in saving lives.
10. Nguyen Van Nhat
In early 2019, doctors recommended 15 cans of beer for Nguyen Van Nhat, a 48-year-old Vietnamese man. Surprisingly, this unusual alcoholic treatment was intended to counteract alcohol poisoning.
Nhat’s troubles began after he ingested a beverage containing methanol, a toxic variant of alcohol. Unlike the ethanol found in common alcoholic drinks, methanol is highly dangerous. Nhat was rushed to intensive care, where doctors introduced 15 cans of beer into his system.
Initially, doctors gave Nhat three cans of beer, followed by one can every hour. This approach helped his liver prioritize breaking down ethanol over methanol. As the liver focused on ethanol, doctors used dialysis to remove the toxic methanol from his body.
Vodka, with its higher ethanol concentration, would have been the preferred choice, but beer was used due to its availability. Nhat recovered and was discharged after the treatment.
9. Ronald Aldom
In 2012, 77-year-old Ronald Aldom was rushed to intensive care after developing ventricular tachycardia (VT), a condition marked by irregular heart rhythms, often triggered by a prior heart attack.
Aldom had an implantable defibrillator attached to his heart following a previous heart attack. This device was designed to deliver shocks to stabilize abnormal heart rhythms. However, it malfunctioned, sending excessive shocks through his body.
When conventional treatments failed, doctors turned to a method called “ethanol ablation.” This involved introducing alcohol into Aldom’s heart to induce a controlled heart attack.
A catheter was inserted into Aldom’s groin and guided to the affected artery in his heart. A small amount of alcohol was then injected through the catheter, causing the muscles in that specific area to cease functioning. This restored his heart rate to normal.
8. Denis Duthie
In June 2012, 65-year-old Denis Duthie’s life was saved by whiskey after he suddenly lost his vision. The diabetic man experienced this crisis after consuming vodka, which clashed with his diabetes medication, leading to temporary blindness as he entered his bedroom.
Duthie didn’t immediately recognize he had gone blind. He assumed the lights had simply gone out and only realized the severity when he couldn’t locate the light switch. Hoping his vision would return by morning, he went to bed, but his condition persisted.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Duthie was rushed into surgery. Doctors suspected formaldehyde poisoning, often caused by methanol consumption, which can be counteracted with ethanol found in whiskey.
With insufficient ethanol available at the hospital, a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label whiskey was purchased from a nearby store. Doctors administered the whiskey directly into Duthie’s stomach via a drip.
Duthie remained in a coma for five days. Remarkably, he didn’t experience intoxication since the whiskey was delivered directly to his stomach. Had it been consumed orally, he would have become drunk.
7. Charles Joughin
Charles Joughin, the head baker aboard the Titanic, displayed unusual behavior after the ship struck an iceberg on April 15, 1912. He instructed his staff to distribute 50 loaves of bread to passengers boarding lifeboats before retreating to his quarters for a drink.
After securing a spot on a lifeboat, Joughin gave up his seat to make room for more women and children. He then returned to his room for another drink as the Titanic began to sink.
Joughin tossed chairs into the ocean to provide flotation devices for survivors and went to the pantry for more drinks. As the Titanic split in two, he found himself on the stern as it submerged. He survived in the freezing water for two and a half hours before being rescued by a lifeboat.
Remarkably, Joughin only experienced swollen feet, a minor issue compared to the many who perished in the freezing ocean. An investigation concluded that his survival was due to his inebriated state. The high alcohol content in his body prevented him from freezing.
While intoxicated individuals typically succumb to cold faster, Joughin’s extreme drunkenness and the frigid water caused his blood vessels to constrict. Had he been less drunk, he might not have survived the freezing temperatures.
6. Cloe The Dog
Several years ago, Stacy Zammit returned to her Melbourne, Australia, home to find her American Staffordshire Terrier, Cloe, acting strangely. Cloe struggled to stand, collapsing each time she tried. By evening, she had stopped eating and began whimpering in distress.
Zammit brought Cloe to a veterinarian, who discovered that the puppy had consumed antifreeze. It was suspected that Cloe had licked the toxic substance from parked cars. Antifreeze, containing ethylene glycol, is highly dangerous to both humans and animals, often leading to kidney failure and death.
The veterinarian considered using alcohol as a treatment for Cloe. However, the clinic had none available. Fortunately, the vet had a bottle of vodka gifted by a staff member. The vodka was administered to Cloe via a drip.
Over two days, more than a third of the vodka bottle was introduced into Cloe’s system. This amount equates to a human consuming eight shots of vodka every four hours. Cloe eventually made a complete recovery.
5. Joseph Lehr
In May 2016, Joseph Lehr, Michael Clapman, and an unnamed friend were sailing 183 meters (600 ft) off Rockaway Beach in New York when their boat began taking on water after losing a drain plug. Water flooded in through the opening.
The group attempted to plug the hole using various items, including metal and socks, but without success. By the time they neared the shore, the boat had already taken on about 1 meter (3 ft) of water, and it seemed they might sink.
A man at a nearby party came to their rescue by tossing corks toward the boat. Lehr grabbed one, which came from an Absolut vodka bottle, and used it to seal the leak. The New York City Fire Department and the New York Police Department then escorted them to safety.
4. Two Elephants
In 2012, two circus elephants were saved from freezing after circus staff administered shots of vodka. The incident occurred as the show traveled through the frigid Novosibirsk region of Siberia, Russia, when the trailer transporting the elephants caught fire.
The elephants were freed from the burning trailer into freezing temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius (-40 °F). Their ears quickly suffered frostbite, and hypothermia seemed imminent. Fortunately, the staff saved them by administering shots of vodka.
The elephants enjoyed the drink so much that they trumpeted in delight, much like intoxicated humans might. They were then moved to a garage, where they stayed until a replacement trailer arrived. Rostislav Shilo, director of Novosibirsk Zoo, later confirmed the elephants didn’t get drunk, as the vodka had been diluted with water.
3. Tipsy The Cat
The cat, named Tipsy, owed his life to alcohol after being found near death outside a shop in Lowood, Queensland, Australia. Taken to a Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals hospital, it was determined he had ingested antifreeze.
Tipsy was on the brink of death upon arrival at the hospital. Weak and suffering from near kidney failure, the vets doubted he would survive another hour. They planned to use alcohol as treatment but found none available in the hospital.
Fortunately, a nurse had an unopened bottle of vodka, a Christmas gift she hadn’t used. The doctors diluted the vodka and administered it to Tipsy via a drip. The cat remained on the drip for 10 hours and eventually made a full recovery, though he did experience a hangover.
2. Charlie The Dog
Charlie, a Maltese terrier, nearly died from kidney failure after licking ethylene glycol in his owner’s garage in Melbourne, Australia. The toxic substance had spilled on the floor, leading to the life-threatening situation.
Charlie was taken to Melbourne Animal Accident and Emergency hospital, where veterinarians administered vodka through a drip inserted into his stomach via his nose.
The vodka treatment worked because the enzymes responsible for converting ethylene glycol into toxic glycolic and oxalic acids bind more readily to alcohol. Vodka is typically used due to its high alcohol purity.
Over two days, vets continued the vodka treatment while removing the ethylene glycol from Charlie’s system. He recovered fully, though he was still dealing with a hangover when discharged.
1. Unnamed Tourist
In 2007, Australian doctors saved the life of a suicidal Italian tourist using vodka. The 24-year-old, who had consumed antifreeze in a failed suicide attempt, was rushed to intensive care. Doctors administered medicinal alcohol via a drip to neutralize the poison.
When their medical supplies were exhausted, doctors switched to regular alcohol, specifically vodka. For three days, they administered three shots of vodka every hour through the tourist’s drip. To spare him from the intoxicating effects, they placed him in a medically induced coma. He eventually recovered and was discharged from the hospital after 20 days.
