[lit-ideas] Re: Annie Proulx [antifreeze]
- From: "Andy Amago" <aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2005 22:59:46 -0500
I think something like 4 oz. is supposed to kill a man. Why would it be so
excruciatingly painful, I wonder. Urea backing up in the bloodstream might
lead to hallucinations I would think. Once the kidneys fail I would
imagine an accelerated congestive heart failure might set in from the
fluid that's being retained, which might leave someone feeling like they're
drowning. Or it might be like frying the internal organs, akin to lethal
injection. But I didn't think organs have pain receptors; it's why (I'm
almost positively sure)during a heart attack the pain is in the arm and
peripheral areas, because the heart itself can't feel pain. I know that
following Katrina dogs and other animals in New Orleans would drink the
contaminated water and stagger away, presumably to die. It would be
interesting to know the exact cause of death from ethylene glycol.
> [Original Message]
> From: Robert Paul <robert.paul@xxxxxxxx>
> To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: 12/17/2005 7:48:39 PM
> Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Annie Proulx [antifreeze]
>
> > Sometimes I think reading Pro ulx is like a dog lapping anti-freeze.
> > It's awful tasty and hard to stop but nothing compares to the
belly-ache
> > that comes with it.
>
> I know this was meant light heartedly, but a dog lapping antifreeze is
> no joke. The widely sold brands of antifreeze contain ethylene glycol.
> Ethylene glycol is toxic to dogs and cats; it is also very palatable to
> them. Ethylene glycol is broken down by the liver into compounds that
> are more toxic to the central nervous system than is ethylene glycol
> itself; some of them do irreversable kidney damage and animals who have
> ingested antifreeze die from kidney failure. Ethylene glycol poisoning
> leads not just to 'stomach ache' but to an excrutiating death.
>
> The signs of ethylene glycol poisoning are that the animal behaves as if
> intoxicated, becomes lethargic, then comatose. There may also be
> vomiting, but this vomiting won't get rid of the antifreeze. If the
> animal is to survive, treatment must be begun within five hours. If
> you're not home when your pet drinks the stuff, not much can be done.
>
> This is the time of year when people who put in their own antifreeze may
> spill some on a garage floor or accidentally leave some in an open
> container or a container with a loose top. Antifreeze may also leak from
> a car's cooling system.
>
> The ASPCA has a poison control hotline: 888) 426-4435. There may be a
> charge for a consultation. It's worth it.
>
> Robert Paul
> Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, Malcolm and Murphy
> watching the sun set on Mt. Hood
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