Death Of Three Young Ladies Backpacking In Laos, Due To Methanol Poisoning

[Hymie]

Maybe whoever substituted the alcohol with methanol was unaware of the dangers of ingesting methanol – even small amounts can cause blindness and/or paralysis.

A tragedy for those who died and their loved ones.

 

What you may not know is that during the American prohibition, the government of the day deliberately added methanol (and other poisons) to industrial alcohol, knowing it might find its way into illicit drinks.

 

It is estimated that at least 10,000 died as a result of this, with many more suffering the poisoning effects.  Despite knowing this, the government continued adding poison to alcohol.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxv700qg50o

[Hymie]

[New Judge]

The deaths in Laos is news.

What happened during prohibition in the USA is history.

 

 

[Canary42]

It's news to me 😁

[ladybirder]

Hymie trying to educate us again.

[david small]

Government's always have caused many deaths.

[Peter Pedant]

Jesus the usual suspects can resist spitting at you Hymie.

You cd sell the dried hankies..... no no off subject.

We have meths drinkers here, and they dont all die - so what was going on?

( and no one has gone blind. Methanol is meta olised to formaldehyde which zeroes the retina)- too technical

[Clone]

I'm not sure if this thread is about the awful deaths of backpackers, or Hymie's wonderful general knowledge.

[Atheist]

Clone; What do you think of the awful death of the backpackers (apart from giving you the opportunity to have a go at Hymie).

[Arksided]

Aweful news, I just watched about it on 'The News' before booting up PC.

[gulliver1]

Atheist 19,22 spot on .What a Clone.

[nicebloke1]

Well i for one didn't know about Hymies OP.NJ 16.30 whats so wrong in pointing out some history on a subject thats in the news today. Having a cranky day are you?

[New Judge]

"Having a cranky day are you?"

No more than usual but on reflection you're probably right.

Hymie's info was interesting and there was no need for my rather brusque input.

[fripfrip]

Atheist;What do you think of the awful death of the backpackers (apart from giving you the oppotunity to have a go at clone).

[davebro3]

I think you should be very careful what you eat & drink when visiting these faraway places.

[Hymie]

What the American government was willing to do to their citizens (kill them) during the prohibition years, should serve as a warning to anyone who might be tempted to trust their national government with their basic human rights.

[New Judge]

^^^Unfortunately that is where I suspected this might be heading. 

[davebro3]

//should serve as a warning to anyone who might be tempted to trust their national government with their basic human rights.//

You mean like getting the coppers to investigate "non crime" crimes?

[Atheist]

You got me bang to rights, fripfrip!

[ToraToraTora]

I doubt it was added deliberately. Home made booze can end up becomming methanol rather than ethanol depending on the process.

[douglas9401]

Oh stop! Please!