# Closed C2H5OH question - WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 11, 2002, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971 "2002-12-11T06:51:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blown\_Injected](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@Blown\_Injected](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blown_Injected)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/1 "2002-12-11T06:51:10Z")
Originally Posted By DrMatrix: \>\>It sounds like a very effective way to kill yourself to me. A shot of one fluid once of 40% will kill; you’re talking about 100%. Don’t try it! EMERGENCY TREATMENT OF POISONING: Methanol This is closed. DrMatrix - General Questions Moderator\<\< So who said anything about Methanol!?!?!? Don’t mean to challenge your authority, but WTH? It seemed as though we had a consensus that it was a bad idea and there was a factual question that had a legitimate answer. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/2 "2002-12-11T06:57:32Z")
This was done before a long time agao. It was closed before, and that time we even had a real doctor posting to the thread. It was closed because despite all the warnings, someone might be stupid enough to try it. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/3 "2002-12-11T07:12:02Z")
Because if someone reads that, decides to try it, and dies, or nearly dies, they or their family could, theoretically, sue the Chicago Reader for giving them the idea. Welcome to our litigious society. ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/4 "2002-12-11T07:30:05Z")
Can I get a HALLELUJAH! No? How about a link then? ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/5 "2002-12-11T07:50:49Z")
Man, I bet, like, there’s probably some, like, double-bonds and crap in that thing. And what’s with the hydroxide ion at the end? Man, makes me wish I studied chemistry…except then I’d be, like, bored and stuff. Oh well, I’ll like totally take your word for it. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/6 "2002-12-11T08:48:58Z")
just cause i’m studying ochem right now. [nitpick] C2H5OH is Ethanol and CH2OH is methanol. [/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/7 "2002-12-11T09:02:45Z")
Mr Green the Chemist man is Chemist man no more for what he thought was H[sub]2[/sub]O was H[sub]2[/sub]SO[sub]4[/sub] Irrelevant, I know. The thread was closed because my cat’s breath smells of cat food. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/8 "2002-12-11T10:59:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Harmonix \* > \*\*just cause i’m studying ochem right now. > [nitpick] > C2H5OH is Ethanol and > CH2OH is methanol. > [/nitpick] \*\* [nitpicking the nitpick] CH **3** OH is methanol ! [/nitpicking the nitpick] Better study some more before the next ochem exam. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/9 "2002-12-11T11:22:14Z")
damn straight. I last midterm was the first test I ever failed ☹ ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/10 "2002-12-11T11:32:23Z")
Just in case this thread hadn’t been geek-jacked enough, I’d just like to point out (from high school O-Chem, thenkewveddymuch) that the formula for one of them thangs is C[sub]N[/sub]H[sub]2N+1[/sub]OH CH3OH C2H5OH C3H7OH … C99H199OH although that last one would probably be kinda funky… ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/11 "2002-12-11T12:09:57Z")
Not to mention, hard to swallow. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/12 "2002-12-11T13:52:10Z")
And, if this is the primary alcohol with this formula, it’s correct name would be 1-nonanodecanol and it would definitely be solid at room temperature (thus, hard to swallow). Heck, C[sub]16[/sub]H[sub]33[/sub]OH, otherwise known as 1-hexadecanol, or cetyl alcohol (because it is found in whale blubber), has a melting point of 49[sup]o[/sup]C. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/13 "2002-12-11T14:47:12Z")
Link. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=149543](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=149543) I’m amazed the thread wasn’t closed sooner–it took two whole hours. I guess the mods aren’t gods after all, huh? 😃 I mean, geez, here’s the OP: > [@](#): > > Is this a better way to get drunk? > > Many thanks to pkbites for his experiment about fermenting sugar water > > And yes, I am under age. Why do you think I don’t know the answers to my many booze questions? > > Heres a new one: Is it possible to get drunk (meaning intoxicated on alcohol) by injecting the alcohol directly into your blood stream? Assuming we’re using “pure” alcohol (like Everclear). > > Would this be safe? (I’m talking “pure” alcohol, not beer or whiskeye). I’m also talking about injecting the same exact amount that one would have to drink to get drunk. Would this prevent the puking I see so many drunks do? > > If it’s possible, and reasonably safe, would it be legal? If one is of legal age to drink booze, would it be legal for them to inject it? > > My scenario would be, instead of a person spending hours and $$$ drinking beer just to get a buzz, they could inject a few ounces of pure alcohol, get drunk immediately, and save bucco bucks. > > Has this ever been tried? If it’s not safe/possible, why not? I mean, geez. “Hi, I’m a teenager, and PKBites gave me some really neat ideas about drinking and getting drunk, and I wanna know if it’s okay to shoot myself up with grain alcohol–what would happen? And is it legal?” He doesn’t sound like somebody who’s just curious in a scientific sort of way–he sounds like an enthusiastic teenager who’s ready to go right out and try it, if nobody on the SDMB tells him it’s actually illegal or lethal. And God forbid some smartass should come into the thread and tell him, “Sure, it’s great, I do it all the time, and you’re right, it’s cheaper than a six-pack…” ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/14 "2002-12-11T15:30:05Z")
It was closed for the wrong reason. It wasn’t taking methanol that was being discussed, but it was definitely in the “dangerous ideas for (ethyl) alcohol use” realm. It should have been closed with a “has obviously been shown as very dangerous to do, don’t try this at home, question answered and thread thus closed” post. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/15 "2002-12-11T17:10:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > **I mean, geez. "Hi, I’m a teenager, and PKBites gave me some really neat ideas about drinking and getting drunk** Whoa! Wait a minute! I most certainly did not give him/her any ideas on drinking/getting drunk.He already had those ideas. I mearly posted on his thread about fermenting sugar water, which, as a service to my brethren dopers, I performed a scientific experiment and did. (I am loooooooooooooong past the legal drinking age:() He just thanked me for doing the experiment in response to his thread. It was I, may I add, whom made a snide remark to him about being underage in the first place. I didn’t tell him anything he really couldn’t find on the web. Let’s face it: We all have posted some strange questions/ideas on these boards, and some of the things **'Duke** comes up with are pretty scarry! BUT: he did say that he had no intention of trying to do this stuff, so I see no harm in answering a legit question, even if it is dangerous if tried. If he asks what exactly would happen if he stood in front of a speeding train are the Mods going to close the thread because he just might go ahead and do it? It kind of pisses me off that we’re limited here because of the actions of some dumb ass that ignors the “hey kids, don’t try this at home” warnings! ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/16 "2002-12-11T17:52:36Z")
I’m just reminded of Cecil Adams’ famous, graphic discussion of what would happen if you ate only bread, no water. Don’t try this at home!! It’s uglier than injecting methanol. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/17 "2002-12-11T22:45:37Z")
PK, I wasn’t saying that it was your fault, I was saying that it sounds like he was saying, “I got some new cool ideas from reading PK.” That’s all. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/18 "2002-12-12T00:33:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\*PK, I wasn’t saying that it was your fault, I was saying that it sounds like he was saying, “I got some new cool ideas from reading PK.” That’s all. \*\* Yeah, I know, I know. But I needed to set the record straight for those who didn’t know quite what you were saying.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/19 "2002-12-12T03:39:39Z")
The link to methanol poisoning was because, I presume, ethanol is given intravenously to treat that condition. It’s also used to treat ethylene glycol (antifreeze) poisoning. It’s not the methanol or ethylene glycol itself that’s so toxic, it’s what your body converts it into that kills you. Ethanol saturates the enzyme and prevents the offending substance from being converted until other treatment, such as hemodialysis, can remove it from the bloodstream. This i.v. ethanol is given under very controlled conditions and in very precisely controlled amounts which would be the only safe way to do such a thing of course. ---
**Author:** ![Hayduke\_Lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Hayduke\_Lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hayduke_Lives)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971/20 "2002-12-12T06:03:10Z")
So, please explain to me exactly would happen if I stood in front of a speeding train? \ Ow!😃 (runs away from annoyed adults) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closed-c2h5oh-question-wtf/141971.md?page=2)