# Could You Actually Kill Yourself Doing This? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 10, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829 "2003-04-10T17:45:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/1 "2003-04-10T17:45:38Z")
I was reading a novel recently (omitting the title so I don’t have to worry about spoilers), where a character accidentally kills himself by drinking high-proof rum out of a metal flask that had been sitting in snow for a couple of hours. The scene takes place in Alaska in the winter with the temperature in the -40s to -50s. In the story the guy realizes he’s done something stupid the instant the rum hits his throat, but by then it’s too late. After a few minutes of agony, the lining of his esphagous sloughs off and he chokes to death. Is it possible? Has it ever actually happened to anyone? ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/2 "2003-04-10T17:53:51Z")
Tell us the book… Just give a big spoiler warning… Never heard of this, but I am intrigued… ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/3 "2003-04-10T17:56:29Z")
Here is a link to the freezing points of alcohol. [salut!](http://www.alaska.net/~dogdrivr/bushthermometer.htm) While the freezing point of alcohol gets lower as the proof gets higher, it appears that it would have frozen by -40 or -50 below. While it MAY be possible, wouldn’t it take a long steady stream of -20 degree liquid to freeze the inside of the throat in such a way? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/4 "2003-04-10T17:58:09Z")
Okay, for people who want to know the book: T. C. Boyle’s _Drop City_ ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/5 "2003-04-10T18:00:50Z")
Just to clarify, he eventually choked because he froze his throat? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/6 "2003-04-10T18:20:54Z")
Immediately after taking a big swig he drops to his knees gagging, and eventually starts coughing up the lining to his throat. He’s lying dead in a pool of frozen blood when some other characters find him an hour or so later. I’m assuming that he choked. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/7 "2003-04-10T18:24:57Z")
[From here.](http://www.alaska.net/~dogdrivr/bushthermometer.htm) Alcoholic Beverages Volume, Proof, Freeze Point 12%, 24, +20 20%, 40, +10 27%, 54, 0 32%, 64, -10 38%, 76, -20 42%, 82, -30 One hundred proof would probably get you down to between forty and fifty below. You could do some serious damage by swallowing something that cold. Skin could instantly burn and die from the exposure. No, I haven`t ever heard of this. On preview, I see Mr. 1505 beat me too it. (looser)😉 ---
**Author:** ![ChalkPit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@ChalkPit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChalkPit)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/8 "2003-04-10T18:33:44Z")
It says that the flask was in the snow. So if the outside air temperature was -40 or -50, thats just the temperature of the air, not what it would be within the snow. No ? ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/9 "2003-04-10T18:43:11Z")
Everything would be at that temperature if it was that cold long enough. Although snow acts as an insulator and slows down the cooling process, it could still get to -40 near the surface of the snow bank. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/10 "2003-04-10T18:49:25Z")
Add to this the fact that the flask was metal, which we all know conducts temperature quite nicely. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/11 "2003-04-10T19:05:13Z")
I’d don’t have the book here at work with me, but as I recall it was 151 rum, which according to the table above would freeze at around -40. So given the circumstances of the story it could still have been liquid (but just barely). So … can you kill yourself by swallowing a big swig of rum chilled to 40 below? It sounds like whuckfistle is saying “yes”. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/12 "2003-04-10T19:09:43Z")
I would think his lips would have instantly frozen to the flask, making it very difficult to drink. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/13 "2003-04-10T19:11:41Z")
I would think that the gag reflex would kick in and you would not be able to swallow enough to do any serious harm. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/14 "2003-04-10T19:27:32Z")
What a horrible death. Makes me wish I was at home in flannel jammies. ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/15 "2003-04-10T20:50:25Z")
So the Moral of the story is, when in the Yukon, always carry your flask in an inside jacket pocket . . . ---
**Author:** ![etgaw1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ed655f/32.png) [@etgaw1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etgaw1)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/16 "2003-04-10T21:00:27Z")
The guy would also have trouble because the metal flask would freeze to his lips so he would have trouble taking the flask away so more supercooled liquid down the gullet. etgaw1 ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/17 "2003-04-10T21:50:54Z")
I seem to recall we recently discussed physiological damage that could occur from drinking overchilled alcohol, specifically with respect to vodka. Off to search. [Ah yes, here we go](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=157413). Some specific information about how something that cold could hurt you from one of our resident physicians. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/18 "2003-04-10T21:51:11Z")
My understanding is that the extreme cold froze all the water in the rum, leaving only pure alcohol in liquid form. The character drank this essentially pure alcohol (while the rest of the rum was frozen in the flask), thus killing him by alcohol poisoning. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/19 "2003-04-10T22:01:26Z")
Hmm, on second thought that wouldn’t cause the stated damage to the esophagus. But even if it wasn’t _that_ cold (say, only 20 below), he’d still stand to suffer soon enough from drinking pure alcohol, right? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829/20 "2003-04-10T22:05:52Z")
It would have to be a pretty big flask. Just separating the alcohol from the water doesn’t change the amount of alcohol. It wouldn’t be any more dangerous than drinking the entire flask of normal rum, in terms of toxicity. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-actually-kill-yourself-doing-this/167829.md?page=2)