# Is this a real way to survive a poisonous gas attack(pic inside)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 10, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788 "2006-03-10T03:23:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/1 "2006-03-10T03:23:35Z")
I ran across [this](http://www.collegehumor.com/pictures/1668845/) picture on the web. I can not imagine what other kind of a predicament would ever force anyone to do that, but does it actually work? And if not why would you ever breathe through your toilet? ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/2 "2006-03-10T04:38:46Z")
> [@faldureon](#): > > I ran across [this](http://www.collegehumor.com/pictures/1668845/) picture on the web. I can not imagine what other kind of a predicament would ever force anyone to do that, but does it actually work? And if not why would you ever breathe through your toilet? Avoiding smoke inhalation from a fire, or tear gas from a police assault. You would have to worry about breathing sewer gas, which is why there are traps in plumbing. ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/3 "2006-03-10T07:34:02Z")
According to The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook it should be safe to breathe sewer gas in areas where the waste is fresh. It becomes more dangerous if you are breathing in air in areas where the waste is months old due to higher concentrations of hydrogen sulfide. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/4 "2006-03-10T08:04:30Z")
Everywhere I have ever lived the sewage system has an access grate located at ground level of the building. [like this](http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/384241/2/istockphoto_384241_outside_plumbing.jpg) As a a result all that this process will do is make sure that you are breathing ground level air. Since most gases a heavier than air this is the worst possible thing you could do. I guess someplaces might have completely sealed sewerlines, but you’d want to make sure you lived in one of those places. ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/5 "2006-03-10T15:39:30Z")
If **Blake** is right then I guess the only thing this is good for is avoiding tear gas while in your house. But if you need to do that tear gas is probably not your biggest problem… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/6 "2006-03-10T15:47:10Z")
Even then, I’d say the best way to avoid tear gas in your house is to get out of your house. I mean, a house is a fairly sealed-off area. It’s not like the stuff is going to just disappear after a while. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/7 "2006-03-10T16:24:43Z")
Yes, but all waste water lines are usually also required to have a vent stack, so that the water you flush from your toilet doesn’t create a vacuum going down the pipes that sucks the water out of your other toilets and traps. The vent stack usually goes up out the roof of the house on holder houses, or is sometimes at ground level on newer ones. In any case, I’d suspect this is the air you would breathe, not the ground level air. Which could leave you SOL if your house is on fire and the smoke is near the vent stack, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/8 "2006-03-10T16:28:22Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > Everywhere I have ever lived the sewage system has an access grate located at ground level of the building. Never seen this. As far as I know, in the US it’s code to have the plumbing system vented to the roof. So at least in theory, you should be able to get access to somewhat fragrant air by doing this. I’m not quite clear why you couldn’t do it in a sink which is at least vaguely more appealing (although contractors are often somewhat lax in venting sinks properly). ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/9 "2006-03-10T21:19:03Z")
I for one choose death ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/10 "2006-03-10T22:57:52Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I for one choose death Mustard gas was only responsible for about 2% of the casualties in WW1, yet soldiers were terrified of it and it turned out to be a great psychological weapon. That’s because a person who sees another person die by mustard gas will gladly breathe through a toilet, or breathe through a peace of cloth he just pissed on, or start a fire so maybe the warmed up gas would rise upwards, or do anything else he can in order not to die from mustard gas. And that crap is from a hundred and eighty years ago – imagine the shit a deranged fanatic could cook up today. If it actually works I for one would breathe through a toilet if life ever got that bad. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/11 "2006-03-10T23:40:24Z")
> [@FlyingRamenMonster](#): > > Even then, I’d say the best way to avoid tear gas in your house is to get out of your house. I mean, a house is a fairly sealed-off area. It’s not like the stuff is going to just disappear after a while. Most of the scenarios I can think of where people are shooting tear gas into your house involve those people wanting you to run out of your house so they can shoot other things at you. [Keanu Reeves] Shoot the hostage [/Keanu Reeves] ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/12 "2006-03-10T23:47:36Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Never seen this. As far as I know, in the US it’s code to have the plumbing system vented to the roof. It’s not the venting I’m talking about, it’s the poperty sewer line access. You’re quite right that all sweres have venting to the roof, but the setup ilistrated eosnt; allow you to specifically breathe that air. You will simply be breathing any air in the pipe. As a result you will end up breathing air form above and below in equal quantities. That guarantees that you are breating ground level air. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/13 "2006-03-10T23:53:52Z")
> [@FlyingRamenMonster](#): > > Even then, I’d say the best way to avoid tear gas in your house is to get out of your house. I mean, a house is a fairly sealed-off area. It’s not like the stuff is going to just disappear after a while. Alternately, you can try to avoid creating situations where someone will shoot teargas into your house. I mean, generally, there’s some sort of provocation; I’ve never heard of a drive-by teargassing. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/14 "2006-03-11T00:10:36Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > Alternately, you can try to avoid creating situations where someone will shoot teargas into your house. I mean, generally, there’s some sort of provocation; I’ve never heard of a drive-by teargassing. See, it’s always “blame the victim” around here. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/15 "2006-03-11T05:58:46Z")
> [@Brain Wreck](#): > > See, it’s always “blame the victim” around here. _groans, sits back, and waits for the inevitable surprise-tear-gassing story_ Seriously, though: excluding the very rare possibility of being trapped in a building fire in a high-rise, with enough toilets for everyone, I’m dubious about any usefulness of this thing. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/16 "2006-03-11T06:37:31Z")
> [@faldureon](#): > > And if not why would you ever breathe through your toilet? I’m not sure _exactly_ what is going on in that picture, but the device shown is a pump siphon. It’s not meant to breathe trough, it’s meant to get standing water out of the fixture. ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/17 "2006-03-11T13:12:30Z")
> [@faldureon](#): > > And that crap is from a hundred and eighty years ago Ya see, here I was getting all ready to nitpick that you worked in an extra century, and when I double-check I find that it was indeed discovered in 1822 or so. Thank you for the factoid, although I will never forgive you for the pun. > [@Larry Mudd](#): > > I’m not sure exactly what is going on in that picture, but the device shown is a pump siphon. It’s not meant to breathe trough, it’s meant to get standing water out of the fixture. The filing at the [patent office](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=4,320,756.WKU.&OS=PN/4,320,756&RS=PN/4,320,756) would appear to indicate that it is indeed meant for breathing through in the case of a high-rise hotel fire. Incidentally, googling for “breathe through toilet” confirms there really are a \*\*lot \*\*of extremely weird people on the internet. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/18 "2006-03-11T16:02:48Z")
> [@wevets](#): > > Most of the scenarios I can think of where people are shooting tear gas into your house involve those people wanting you to run out of your house so they can shoot other things at you. > > [Keanu Reeves] > Shoot the hostage > [/Keanu Reeves] Methinks you’ve never been in a college town when the riot squad just started gassing the whole danged street to get those danged drunken kids to stop turning over cars and setting fires to picnic tables. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/19 "2006-03-11T18:25:07Z")
> [@slaphead](#): > > The filing at the [patent office](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=4,320,756.WKU.&OS=PN/4,320,756&RS=PN/4,320,756) would appear to indicate that it is indeed meant for breathing through in the case of a high-rise hotel fire. Well, I’ll be jiggered. One thing that I still don’t understand: Why is the thing set up like a siphon pump? > [@patent application](#): > > First end 20 can comprises a rubber-based or plastic material formed in its illustrated bellows-type configuration, whereas second end 21 can be composed of a standard plastic tube material. To what purpose? The “bellows-type configuration” has no apparent role in the intended operation of the device. > [@](#): > > The user will then insert the second end of the breathing device into the water trap and place a hand thereunder to bend it past flanges 26 and 27 of the water trap and through the water forming the trap to expose the open end of the device to chamber 25. Once the level of the water trap is cleared and the open end of the device is positioned in chamber 25 to communicate with fresh air, the user can place his mouth on mouthpiece 17 and blow out any small amount of water which may have collected in the device upon insertion thereof through the water trap. > > The user can then start inhaling fresh air and oxygen through the device and exhale through his nose. The user can maintain this breathing procedure for hours and until he is rescued. It sounds like the applicant “made” his prototype by picking up the [first flexible tube that happened to be at hand](http://www.nexternal.com/armynavy/images/538GAS.gif), and kept the bellows in there because it makes it look more technical than, say, a short length of garden hose, which would serve just as well. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788/20 "2006-03-11T21:16:55Z")
> [@slaphead](#): > > Incidentally, googling for “breathe through toilet” confirms there really are a \*\*lot \*\*of extremely weird people on the internet. That’s nothing, try googling on “unitard” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-way-to-survive-a-poisonous-gas-attack-pic-inside/347788.md?page=2)